The iPhone 14 Max Is Said to Be Weeks Behind Schedule

According to Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu, the iPhone 14 Max is presently three weeks behind schedule.

iPhone 14 Max Release Date Delayed

Nikkei Asia reported yesterday that at least one iPhone 14 model was three weeks behind schedule owing to the effect of Chinese supply chain lockdowns on Apple, however it was unclear which iPhone 14 model this referred to.

Pu has since confirmed that the device in issue is the iPhone 14 Max, Apple’s next iPhone with a bigger, 6.7-inch display size for its non-Pro line of handsets.

The iPhone 14 Max’s delay was notably caused by Pegatron ceasing manufacturing during Shanghai’s most recent shutdown. The iPhone 14 Max is not anticipated to go into full production until late August, potentially only weeks before Apple unveils the next iPhone range at a September event.

According to Nikkei, all four iPhone 14 variants are now in the engineering verification test (EVT) phase of development. By the end of June, all new iPhone models should have completed the EVT and moved on to the verification step.

Following the development phase of new iPhones, Apple’s primary assemblers, Foxconn and Pegatron, begin a period known as new product introduction (NPI), during which the production process for the current designs is drawn out. Before mass manufacturing starts, NPI is followed by many final verification stages.

The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max are still on track to go into full production in early August, weeks before the iPhone 14 Max. The devices are expected to be shipped with updated features that will create an even more seamless experience for users, such as easier iOS transfers. It’s unclear if the delay means the iPhone 14 Max will arrive later than the other iPhone 14 models, or whether it will just be in low supply at launch. According to Nikkei, the timetable is still depending on how much the iPhone 14 Max’s development process can Apple speed up.

Summing Up

Apple allegedly instructed suppliers to accelerate product development efforts in order to make up for a lost time before the delay impacts the regular manufacturing timetable, which might have influenced the initial production quantities of the iPhone 14 series more generally. Similarly, earlier this month, it was revealed that Apple instructed Foxconn to begin hiring employees to produce iPhone 14 models earlier than normal, citing concerns that China’s lockdowns might lead to shortages or delays later in the year.