iPhone 16 Pro Max sees shipping date slip just minutes after preorders start

AppleInsider

Following the start of preorders for the iPhone 16 range, the earliest shipping date for the iPhone 16 Pro Max has already slipped back a week.

Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max

As preorders opened around the world, the shipping dates for all iPhone 16 models plus the were listed as being on September 20. That's the date Apple announced shipping would begin, but within 18 minutes, the site was reporting dates slipping into the following week.

It appears that natural titanium was only last year's fashion favorite, because both the entry level 256GB and high end 1TB configurations in that color remained available for shipping on September 20 for around ten minutes longer than the others.

Dates are changing rapidly, but with those first 18 minutes, the 1TB desert titanium iPhone 16 Pro Max was showing as shipping in 5-7 days. The white and black 1TB editions went immediately to 7-10 days.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max was the first to slip from September 20. By around 35 minutes after preorders began, the 1TB and 512GB configurations of the white iPhone 16 Pro slipped to 5-7 days too.

At around two hours, all configurations and all colors of the iPhone 16 Pro Max were showing a shipping time of 3-4 weeks. That puts delivery into early October.

Most versions of the iPhone 16 Pro are now delayed too, except the black 128GB version. That remains listed as September 20, but the black 256GB version is 5-7 days, while all other variations are 7-10 days.

So had the 1TB version of the iPhone 16 Pro in black. All other colors and storage configurations of the iPhone 16 Pro remained showing as shipping on September 20.

Over two hours after preorders began, all colors and all configurations of the iPhone 16 are still shipping on September 20 -- except one. The 256GB version in Teal is now showing 7-10 days.

Every storage capacity and every color of the iPhone 16 Plus is still available for September 20 deliver.

Where else to get iPhones

It's not possible to infer that the iPhone 16 Pro Max is an enormous success, though, or even really to conclude that Apple has sold out of them. Apple prepares a certain quantity of iPhones for the initial launch period, reportedly between 15 million and 16 million, but that is split between its online and retail stores.

Regardless of whether a particular iPhone, configuration, or color, is listed as now taking weeks to arrive, stocks will be available in physical Apple Stores on September 20.

Plus all of the new iPhones are available from other vendors.

• AT&T Wireless - Get up to $1,000 off iPhone 16 models at AT&T with an eligible trade*


• Verizon Wireless - Get an iPhone 16 on Verizon with the Unlimited Ultimate plan and trade*


• Boost Mobile on Amazon - Get up to $1,000 off with no trade-in required*


• Visible - Get up to $360 in monthly credits when you join Visible and buy an iPhone 16 Pro*

Terms and conditions apply. Please see site for details.

Read on AppleInsider

mike1

Ordered a black, 256GB 16 Pro at 8:30ish and it will arrive on 9/20.

danox

No surprise and everyone wants/buys the most expensive top end iPhones, and the cheaper versions sell the least. Cue all the people in the comment sections who say they won’t buy but what do you know? Large numbers of people (the public) who don’t inhabit comment sections, come out of the woodwork and buy a new iPhones to the consternation of many in the tech/youtube forums.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/01/15/iphone-15-pro-max-will-still-be-the-best-selling-model-in-early-2024-says-kuo

charlesn

Orders began, at least here in the U.S., with Sept 20th as the DELIVERY date, not the shipping date. Also, as of right now, while delivery dates have slipped for the Pro Max into the 1st/2nd week of Oct, you can still order one for pick-up at an Apple Store on Sept 20th. 

retrogusto

The models that sell out first aren’t necessarily the most popular. Most likely Apple does their best to predict the relative popularity of different models and prioritizes initial production quantities accordingly, so if some models sell out before others, it probably reflects the difference between their predictions and the reality. There may also be manufacturing and/or component factors that affect the availability of some models more than others. 

Panner_Nudding

retrogusto said:

The models that sell out first aren’t necessarily the most popular. Most likely Apple does their best to predict the relative popularity of different models and prioritizes initial production quantities accordingly, so if some models sell out before others, it probably reflects the difference between their predictions and the reality. There may also be manufacturing and/or component factors that affect the availability of some models more than others. 

Not really. They make the least amount of lowest storage (cheapest) when people go to buy the 128gb or 256gb the shipping date is pushed back but the more expensive models will be delivered in 9/20. 

charlesn

retrogusto said:

The models that sell out first aren’t necessarily the most popular. Most likely Apple does their best to predict the relative popularity of different models and prioritizes initial production quantities accordingly, so if some models sell out before others, it probably reflects the difference between their predictions and the reality. There may also be manufacturing and/or component factors that affect the availability of some models more than others. 

After all these years of delivery dates slipping first and quickly on the top models, I have to think Apple orchestrates this happening. Does anyone really believe Apple doesn't know how many Pro Max phones it would need to have ready to completely satisfy all demand when pre-orders open? Does anyone believe that Pro Max demand keeps catching Apple by surprise, year after year, causing delivery dates to slip by weeks? I sure don't. FOMO has become an essential part of iPhone launches, fomented by delayed delivery dates on the most popular models if you don't order within the first half-hour. Imagine what the headlines would be if, by tomorrow, there was still no delayed delivery date on any iPhone Pro model. The tech press would lose its mind about the iPhone 16 being a total flop. At this point, FOMO is such ingrained part of iPhone launches, Apple has to keep it going. I don't know whether they intentionally constrain Pro model production to create a faux "shortage" or if it intentionally delays delivery dates on a plentiful supply that it actually has available to ship, but it's just not credible to think that Apple keeps getting surprised by launch day demand. 

Fidonet127

Some of it might be manufacturing, some preparation capacity, and some shipping capacity. Everything isn't designed around these peaks and it isn't worth it to be able to ship everything at once. This isn't perishable goods. This is a worldwide preorder. Apple probably starts manufacturing to build up some for shipping itself, in Apple stores, and then you all the other retail stores throughout most of the world that also needs stock. The factories are probably running long shifts, flat out to make the demand and will be for a good while.

kdupuis77

charlesn said:

retrogusto said:

The models that sell out first aren’t necessarily the most popular. Most likely Apple does their best to predict the relative popularity of different models and prioritizes initial production quantities accordingly, so if some models sell out before others, it probably reflects the difference between their predictions and the reality. There may also be manufacturing and/or component factors that affect the availability of some models more than others. 

After all these years of delivery dates slipping first and quickly on the top models, I have to think Apple orchestrates this happening. Does anyone really believe Apple doesn't know how many Pro Max phones it would need to have ready to completely satisfy all demand when pre-orders open? Does anyone believe that Pro Max demand keeps catching Apple by surprise, year after year, causing delivery dates to slip by weeks? I sure don't. FOMO has become an essential part of iPhone launches, fomented by delayed delivery dates on the most popular models if you don't order within the first half-hour. Imagine what the headlines would be if, by tomorrow, there was still no delayed delivery date on any iPhone Pro model. The tech press would lose its mind about the iPhone 16 being a total flop. At this point, FOMO is such ingrained part of iPhone launches, Apple has to keep it going. I don't know whether they intentionally constrain Pro model production to create a faux "shortage" or if it intentionally delays delivery dates on a plentiful supply that it actually has available to ship, but it's just not credible to think that Apple keeps getting surprised by launch day demand. 

Futurama summed it up nicely over a decade ago haha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJyMEkb_8to

"Shut up and take my money!" But seriously, I had my 16 Pro 256GB Natural Titanium pre-order lined up last night and checked out fully this morning at 08:04AM for a September 20th delivery date like the good Apple fanboy that I am haha.

For anyone else w/ Verizon, they are still quoting Sept 20th deliveries for ALL variants of the 16 Pro and half the 16 Pro Max variants, though the others that have slipped there are mostly still quoting late Sept/Early Oct delivery (Particularly the Natural & White 512GB/1TB models).

teflondon

I decided to go out on a limb and purchase the Desert Gold this year only bc I've had all the other colours with my last being the Natural Titanium. I figured if I don't like it, I can take it back and possibly get the black or white. I was leaning black but was unsure how dark it would be and also leery of possible scratches that may show. I have the grey MBP and it's shown some signs of scratches around the edges of the keyboard. Fingers crossed I'll like it. I had to choose the option to pick it up in store in order to get it on the 20th; otherwise, it was pushed out a week for delivery. To me, I don't mind driving to my local mall to pick it up better than trying to be home and catching the UPS man to sign for the package.

charlesn

teflondon said:

I decided to go out on a limb and purchase the Desert Gold this year only bc I've had all the other colours with my last being the Natural Titanium. I figured if I don't like it, I can take it back and possibly get the black or white. I was leaning black but was unsure how dark it would be and also leery of possible scratches that may show. I have the grey MBP and it's shown some signs of scratches around the edges of the keyboard. Fingers crossed I'll like it. I had to choose the option to pick it up in store in order to get it on the 20th; otherwise, it was pushed out a week for delivery. To me, I don't mind driving to my local mall to pick it up better than trying to be home and catching the UPS man to sign for the package.

Other than black and white, I think gold might be the color that Apple has used most for iPhone although not always the same shade. The Desert Titanium appears to be a reboot of the 13 Pro Gold, which itself was a reboot iPhone 8 gold... I had the 8. It's a nice shade, more subtle than not, which looks more luxe than faux. I wish the "jet black" rumors had been true because that would have been my color this year. Or at least Midnight from the Macbooks. The "Black Titanium" which looks dark gray, really doesn't do it for me. I went with the Natural Titanium for a second year, but it was more like a "lesser of four evils" kind of choice. 

entropys

Good to see the old Apple Product Cycle still in force.

anyway, even10 hours after purchases became available, I just got a 16 pro max with delivery 26Sept-1Oct delivery. 

For a new Apple product, that it is only a week or so delivery delay at this point suggests the economies of the world aren’t doing too well.

Xed

entropys said:

For a new Apple product, that it is only a week or so delivery delay at this point suggests the economies of the world aren’t doing too well.

You don't have nearly enough info to make that determination. Apple has been releasing iPhones since 2007. They have learned a lot about logistics and this annual release cycle likely gets a little more efficient every year. This also includes their longtime partners. Foxconn clearly hires ahead of time and production lines are set so they can produce x-amount to have them ready for the intended delivery date. It's an impressive machine, to say the least.

On top of that, the iPhone is an extremely mature device so the need to get a new model every year is on the decline, at least from my experience. I started off getting a new iPhone annually which probably lasted a decade. Then it was every 2 cycles. Now I'm sporting an iPhone 14 series device and I'm probably going to wait until the iPhone 17 series device to see if it has features that will move the needle enough for me to upgrade. I do like the Action Button on the new iPhone and I'd like to benefit from Apple Intelligence (but I've had it on my Mac for a couple months now and don't seem to be benefit from it), but those aren't enough for me to upgrade at this point — and his has nothing to do with my financial situation.

My advice is to wait for Apple's quarterly reports to come out as that will directly tell you how Apple is doing YoY.

kdupuis77

teflondon said:

I decided to go out on a limb and purchase the Desert Gold this year only bc I've had all the other colours with my last being the Natural Titanium. I figured if I don't like it, I can take it back and possibly get the black or white. I was leaning black but was unsure how dark it would be and also leery of possible scratches that may show. I have the grey MBP and it's shown some signs of scratches around the edges of the keyboard. Fingers crossed I'll like it. I had to choose the option to pick it up in store in order to get it on the 20th; otherwise, it was pushed out a week for delivery. To me, I don't mind driving to my local mall to pick it up better than trying to be home and catching the UPS man to sign for the package.

Nowadays, once you get the FedEx or UPS tracking number, you can sign in and waive the delivery signature requirement. So if the porch piracy isn't too bad where you live, this is an option to waiting for delivery. I live in the sticks, so luckily I can just do that particularly as the nearest Apple Store is about a 4 hour round trip for me lol.

killuminatirecords

I ordered mine right off the bat and it gets here Friday Sept 20th. I ordered a 2nd one and delivery was for October 7th, but I had arranged pick up in store for this upcoming Friday, so both phones on September 20th.

dewme

charlesn said:

retrogusto said:

The models that sell out first aren’t necessarily the most popular. Most likely Apple does their best to predict the relative popularity of different models and prioritizes initial production quantities accordingly, so if some models sell out before others, it probably reflects the difference between their predictions and the reality. There may also be manufacturing and/or component factors that affect the availability of some models more than others. 

After all these years of delivery dates slipping first and quickly on the top models, I have to think Apple orchestrates this happening. Does anyone really believe Apple doesn't know how many Pro Max phones it would need to have ready to completely satisfy all demand when pre-orders open? Does anyone believe that Pro Max demand keeps catching Apple by surprise, year after year, causing delivery dates to slip by weeks? I sure don't. FOMO has become an essential part of iPhone launches, fomented by delayed delivery dates on the most popular models if you don't order within the first half-hour. Imagine what the headlines would be if, by tomorrow, there was still no delayed delivery date on any iPhone Pro model. The tech press would lose its mind about the iPhone 16 being a total flop. At this point, FOMO is such ingrained part of iPhone launches, Apple has to keep it going. I don't know whether they intentionally constrain Pro model production to create a faux "shortage" or if it intentionally delays delivery dates on a plentiful supply that it actually has available to ship, but it's just not credible to think that Apple keeps getting surprised by launch day demand. 

Yep. Apple's production process and especially Tim Cook are highly data driven. Apple probably knows more about iPhone buyers than iPhone buyers know about themselves. Apple knows what strings to pull and what knobs to turn to fine tune their overall objectives. Anyone who thinks that Apple is being caught with their pants down for not having a huge cache of premium phones ready to meet the early demand spike hasn't been paying attention to Apple for many years. If Apple's pants are down, it's only because their pockets are so full of cash that no belt known to man can keep those pants off the floor.

-NX01-

Well here's a story: I stayed up till 5am in order to pre-order my iPhone 16 Pro Max from AT&T (I'm on their NextUp plan).

Immediately got a notice that my phone would arrive September 20!  Woo hoo!

Less than 24 hours later, got a notice that "Your order has been cancelled per your request."  >:(

I called AT&T, and they said it was a "problem with their system." Re-placing the order, of course, now moves the ship date to October 18.

There is definitely something fishy going on.

-NX01-

charlesn said:

retrogusto said:

The models that sell out first aren’t necessarily the most popular. Most likely Apple does their best to predict the relative popularity of different models and prioritizes initial production quantities accordingly, so if some models sell out before others, it probably reflects the difference between their predictions and the reality. There may also be manufacturing and/or component factors that affect the availability of some models more than others. 

After all these years of delivery dates slipping first and quickly on the top models, I have to think Apple orchestrates this happening. Does anyone really believe Apple doesn't know how many Pro Max phones it would need to have ready to completely satisfy all demand when pre-orders open? Does anyone believe that Pro Max demand keeps catching Apple by surprise, year after year, causing delivery dates to slip by weeks? I sure don't. FOMO has become an essential part of iPhone launches, fomented by delayed delivery dates on the most popular models if you don't order within the first half-hour. Imagine what the headlines would be if, by tomorrow, there was still no delayed delivery date on any iPhone Pro model. The tech press would lose its mind about the iPhone 16 being a total flop. At this point, FOMO is such ingrained part of iPhone launches, Apple has to keep it going. I don't know whether they intentionally constrain Pro model production to create a faux "shortage" or if it intentionally delays delivery dates on a plentiful supply that it actually has available to ship, but it's just not credible to think that Apple keeps getting surprised by launch day demand. 

Agreed. See my above story. My Pro Max order with AT&T (scheduled for Sep 20) went through successfully, and then was suddenly and inexplicably "cancelled" 18 hours later, with no explanation other than "cancelled per your request" (I requested no such thing). Now, re-ordering the same Pro Max results in a date of Oct 18. This reeks of intentionality.

dewme

Just because Apple upgrades their new iPhones in September doesn’t mean you have to. Waiting a couple of months or more doesn’t really matter to many folks, especially if you do the same every time you upgrade to a new phone. 

Delaying your upgrade also means you’ll probably get more of the operating system features that were scheduled for the new iOS release but are predictably delayed as in past releases. 

But yeah I understand that plenty of people want to have the latest and greatest iPhone as soon as it’s available, and in the very first day it is for sale. For those of us who wait until the dust settles you provide us with an additional round of testing and feedback, which is great.