The iPhone 15 Pro Max is reportedly a big hit for Apple, but it’s facing issues

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The iPhone 15 Pro is selling less well

iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Of all the iPhone 15 models – namely the iPhone 15 itself, the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max – it’s the last of them that’s the biggest hit right now, according to an analyst’s report.

This comes from Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a great track record for Apple information, and claims on his Medium page (via 9to5Mac) that demand for the iPhone 15 Pro Max is greater than demand for the iPhone 14 Pro Max was at this time last year.

That’s all the more impressive when you consider that the iPhone 14 Pro Max was also the most pre-ordered model last year according to Kuo, so for the iPhone 15 Pro Max to be even more popular it must be selling in enormous numbers.

However, if you’re among the many people who apparently want an iPhone 15 Pro Max, you might be waiting a while. Obviously, if a massive number of people are pre-ordering it, that could lead to stock shortages even in a typical year, but this isn’t a typical year, as Kuo claims that mass production of this phone started later than the other models, and that its “current production challenges are more pronounced than other models.”

In the run up to the iPhone 15 line’s launch we’d heard numerous reports that production of the iPhone 15 Pro Max was facing issues, and that it might be delayed as a result. We predicted that the iPhone 15 Pro Max probably wouldn’t be delayed, and that it might simply be harder to get hold of at launch, and that’s exactly what seems to be happening.

Placing a pre-order for the iPhone 15 Pro Max right now shows a delivery estimate of six to seven weeks in the US, while in the UK it’s listed similarly as early to mid-November, and in Australia the wait is seven to eight weeks. So if you haven’t already placed an order, you might not get this phone anytime soon.

The Pro's loss is the Pro Max's gain

Getting hold of other iPhone 15 models should be a little easier, and Kuo claims that the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are proving roughly as popular as their predecessors were at this stage, which likely makes the iPhone 15 Plus the least popular of the new models.

The iPhone 15 Pro is said to be less initially popular than its predecessor, which could be due to the fact that the Pro Max model this year has more than just a bigger screen – it also has a superior camera system. So buyers looking for a premium iPhone might be more inclined to choose that, even with its higher price.

If you’re yet to decide which – if any – new iPhone model to buy, check out our  iPhone 15 review, our iPhone 15 Plus review, our iPhone 15 Pro review, and our iPhone 15 Pro Max review. Then, when you’ve made your decision, head over to our iPhone 15 deals page for all the best offers.

More iPhone 15 stories

James Rogerson
James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.