Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max concept showing expected higher price of $1199
Apple’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models have very different designs and specifications. Their production schedules have also taken very different paths, and a new report has only added to the confusion surrounding their release.
Last week, a stunning report claimed that production of iPhone 14 Max screens was “still way behind schedule until August” and 3x lower than iPhone 14 Pro Max. Doubt surrounding the model’s availability and release has grown, especially following earlier reports from Nikkei Asia and Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu that shipments of the iPhone 14 Max will be delayed by nearly a year. ‘a month.
Now-respected TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo denied those reports in a series of tweets: “I learned that recently some suppliers of iPhone 14 panels and memories have encountered supply problems”, he explains. “But this should have a limited impact on the upcoming mass production of the iPhone 14 as other vendors can fill the supply gap.”
Notably, Kuo claims that Samsung and Apple’s new manufacturing partner, BOE, “can largely fill the void caused by LG Display’s panel appearance issues,” which primarily affect the iPhone 14 Max. Kuo also believes that LG Display “shouldn’t take long to fix the problem.”
Leaked schematics suggest the iPhone 14 will be visually identical to the iPhone 13
It’s unusual to see high-level insiders divided this way, especially around production, where leaks tend to be fairly constant as manufacturing volumes increase and Apple becomes less able to maintain the secret. Apple has split iPhone versions in the past (iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 8 and iPhone X) due to production issues, that’s where the difference in manufacturing volumes might be heading, but that’s is rare.
More divisive, however, are likely to be Apple’s decisions about the phones themselves. Despite significant design and performance differences between the iPhone 14 Pro and non-Pro models, Apple is reportedly raising prices across the board.
Whether that counts on a long-term carrier contract remains to be seen. With demand looking very likely to outstrip supply, I guess any delay in iPhone 14 Max models will eventually see many Apple fans paying (even) more for a well-stocked Pro model.
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