Yes, absolutely. Apple plan to sell 40 million plus of these devices before Christmas. It's not just a question of how many iPhones Foxconn and friends can churn off their production line. All their suppliers also have to be prepared. 40 millions screens, 40 million cameras, etc, can't be sourced at the drop of a hat.
BTW, the article repeats the rumour that Apple Pay might be dropped. I have a sneaky feeling this will happen - maybe not this time, but eventually. I live in a country where contactless payments are very common and I genuinely never see anyone using Apple Pay (or Android Pay). Has it flopped this badly everywhere?