A series of reports claimed earlier this week that the iPhone 14 production isn’t necessarily on track. First, a story from Asia said that at least one iPhone 14 model is behind schedule following the China lockdowns without identifying the device. Then, an analyst said the iPhone 14 Max might be the model at risk of experiencing release delays. A well-known insider has weighed in on Apple’s iPhone 14 development schedule, saying that the company can still catch up with the regular schedule.
What is the iPhone 14 Max?
Like in the previous two years, Apple will unveil four iPhone 14 models in the second half of 2022. But Apple is making a big change to the lineup. There won’t be an iPhone 14 mini this year. Instead, Apple is replacing it with the iPhone 14 Max.
That’s the tentative name for the cheaper 6.7-inch iPhone 14 model that Apple plans to release alongside the expensive 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. The naming scheme makes sense considering that the cheaper 6.7-inch model should be the equivalent of the base 6.1-inch iPhone 14 model. The “Max” particle indicates the handset is bigger in size, just like the “mini” moniker signals those phones are smaller versions.
As a result, the iPhone 14 Max will have the same design as the iPhone 14. The latter will look like the iPhone 13, featuring the exact same design lines. However, the iPhone 14 models might be slightly thicker to accommodate a larger battery life.
But the iPhone 14 Max will not be a perfect copy of the iPhone 13 Pro Max when it comes to the camera. We’re still looking at a dual-lens camera system on the back for the iPhone 14 Max, matching the iPhone 14 camera.
The iPhone 14 Max specs should be on par with the iPhone 14. According to leaks, we’re looking at iPhone 13 Pro hardware for these two iPhone 14 models. That’s a variation of the A15 Bionic chip and 6GB of RAM.
A regular release date is still possible
With all that in mind, it might seem like Apple shouldn’t have a problem manufacturing a variation of the iPhone 13 Pro with just two cameras on the back. But that simple change impacts the entire internal design of the iPhone 14 Max. Apple can repurpose the extra space to increase the battery capacity. But that means the internal components of the iPhone 14 Max won’t match the iPhone 13 Pro.
As a result, Apple will need to set up an entire supply chain for the iPhone 14 Max. This might explain the iPhone 14 Max release worries amid the lockdowns.
But analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reacted to the recent iPhone supply chain reports, claiming that Apple has not changed the shipping plan for the iPhone 14 models. That’s to say the late September release date is still in place for the new phones. The iPhone 14 Max is running behind, Kuo added. But the situation is still under control, and suppliers can work overtime to catch up.
The insider speculates that Apple’s iPhone 14 challenges will come from the demand side instead of the supply side.
All of this is speculation, however. Even though Kuo has been accurate with his Apple prediction in the past, he’s only making educated guesses. We’ll have to wait for Apple’s June quarterly earnings report to see whether the company will stick to its regular September release schedule for the iPhone 14 or not.
More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide.
