iPhone 15 Pro Max could face worrying delays – and its cameras are to blame
Apple’s next best iPhone is reportedly being held up
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
We’re fairly confident that we know what to expect fromApple’s upcomingiPhone launch event, but theiPhone 15 Pro Max, in particular, continues to prove the subject of confusing name, hardware, and release date rumors.
We’ve recently heard, for instance, that theiPhone 15 Pro Max may actually be called the iPhone 15 Ultra, and now the conversation has turned towards potential shipping delays for Apple’s biggest andbest iPhoneof 2023.
According to an analyst note seen by9to5Mac, the iPhone 15 Pro Max could ship three to four weeks later than theiPhone 15,iPhone 15 Plus, andiPhone 15 Pro. It’s thought thatSony– a major camera parts supplier to Apple – may “not be able to provide the image sensor used by the iPhone 15 Pro Max in time for it to ship alongside the other new models.”
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to boast a vastly superior camera system to other models in the iPhone 15 lineup, with atelephoto periscope lenschief among the phone’s rumored upgrades. Evidently, though, this lens is proving difficult to produce at speed and scale.
We’re expecting the actualiPhone 15 release dateto fall on or around Friday, September 22 this year, with Apple’s 2023 iPhone launch event likely to take place on either Tuesday, September 12 or Wednesday, September 13.iPhone 15 pre-orderswill probably begin a few days after that event on Friday, September 15, with shipping dates following another week later (hence that Friday, September 22 prediction).
However, if the iPhone 15 Pro Max is indeed facing delays of between three and four weeks versus otheriPhone 15 models, then it’s safe to assume that the device will hit store shelves sometime between Friday, October 13 and Friday, October 20.
We’ve heard similar mutterings about potential iPhone 15 release delays already this year. For instance, Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan – who correctly predicted that theiPhone 12 would be delayed in 2020– recently suggested that the entireiPhone 15 line could be delayed until late October, owing to production hiccups regarding iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max displays.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Obviously, that rumor refers to every iPhone 15 model, rather than just the Pro Max, and display shortages instead of sensor shortages, but it’s interesting that multiple sources have now touted iPhone 15 Pro Max delays as being a genuine possibility.
This wouldn’t be the first time that Apple has delayed one specific iPhone model in a new iPhone lineup, either. As recently as last year, theiPhone 14 Plusshipped almost a month later than the rest of theiPhone 14family, and in 2020, theiPhone 12 miniandiPhone 12 Pro Maxarrived a few weeks after theiPhone 12andiPhone 12 Pro.
In any case, we don’t have too long to wait until Apple itself confirms when we’ll be able to get our hands on its next crop of iPhones.
More iPhone 15 stories
Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.
Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.
A newly reported iPhone phenomenon could be bad news for both cops and robbers
The iPhone 18 series could include a variable aperture, ‘significantly enhancing’ the camera
Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: A powerful and truly portable projector
