Yoodley is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Despite reporting earlier that iPhone 15 Pro Max would “start mass shipments this week,” supply analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a new report that the mass production schedule of the model “lags behind other models.”
Kuo shared the news in a new blog, saying the project for the model was the last to start in the lineup, causing it to be a few steps behind other models. The analyst then shared a list of challenges Apple has been facing related to the manufacturing of the other models in the series.
According to the list, the four main materials causing significant issues in production include the CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor or CIS, panels, titanium frames, and batteries. The latter is reportedly “expanding when exposed to heat.” Meanwhile, Kuo shared that the titanium frame production issues originate from the “high processing difficulty and significant design changes during development (canceling the virtual button design in 2Q23).
Despite these concerns, Kuo shared how some of them were resolved.
- The stacked CIS issue has been resolved by increasing production capacity, but it still affects about 10–15% of shipments of regular models.
- Changing the supplier shipment ratio has resolved the panel issue.
- The battery and frame issues have been resolved mainly by improving production yield.
It is unknown whether the new report will affect the earlier claim made by Kuo involving the mass shipment of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. According to the analyst, earlier this week, the model shipment would be this week, contradicting other reports that it would be delayed. This includes the statement from Bank of America Global Research analyst Wamsi Mohan, who said that “the launch of the iPhone 15 could be delayed by a few weeks.” Website 9To5Mac also claimed that Apple would have to push for the model’s release between October 6 and October 13, mentioning an issue related to the Pro Max’s periscope lens system.
