Apple could ship the iPhone 15 Pro Max in October because Sony might be unable to deliver the new image sensor as planned, potentially leading to an unexpected delay.
A major analyst claims the flagship phone could face a three-to-four-week delay. The next lineup is expected to be unveiled in mid-September and go on sale starting September 22, so the wait could put deliveries between October 6-13.
Why the iPhone 15 Pro Max might be delayed into October
9to5Mac has allegedly learned from a “major equity analyst note viewed and described by a source” that Sony’s new image sensor won’t ship in time for the iPhone 15 Pro Max to launch alongside other modes in September.
The latest report arrives after Bank of America previously predicted that iPhone 15 shipments could be pushed by a few weeks.
The flagship iPhone 15 Pro Max is thought to exclusively use a new periscope lens on the primary rear camera, delivering a much deeper optical zoom than the current 3x limit. The iPhone 15 Pro will reportedly not receive a periscope lens.
Delayed iPhone launches
This isn’t the only time all iPhone models in a new lineup didn’t launch simultaneously. In 2021, the iPhone 13 Pros arrived in October, for example.
But that was a specific case because back then, the world’s supply chain was in shambles due to the pandemic, which caused the supply chain crisis. Sony now seems to be facing issues with the image sensor because it’s a new technology, not because the company can’t procure enough components for it on time.
In 2022, the iPhone 14 Plus went on sale after the base iPhone 14. Back in 2018, the iPhone Xr arrived at the end of October, a few weeks later than the iPhone Xs.
During the height of the pandemic in 2020, the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max shipped a few weeks after the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, with the devices shipping in late October and early November, respectively, instead of September.
The iPhone 15 family should be announced alongside the Apple Watch Series 9 models and the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra 2 on September 12.