Apple’s recently unveiled iPhone 15 Pro Max has generated significant anticipation and demand in key markets such as China, Japan, and the United States, with some customers expected to face delivery delays until November. These early signs of robust demand are a welcome development for Apple following a dip in iPhone sales in the previous quarter, driven by the challenging global smartphone market. Notably, the prolonged waiting period for the iPhone 15 Pro Max in China may also alleviate concerns about potential financial impacts in Apple’s third-largest market, where it faces increased competition from Huawei and tighter restrictions on iPhone use by government personnel.
In China, customers eyeing the iPhone 15 Pro Max may need to wait for four to five weeks, reflecting the high demand for this flagship model. Conversely, the wait time for the iPhone 15 Pro is shorter, ranging from two to three weeks, with the promise of deliveries starting on the phone’s release date of September 22.
Across the Pacific in the United States, prospective buyers of the iPhone 15 Pro Max will face a six to seven-week wait, highlighting the device’s popularity despite its premium pricing within the iPhone 15 lineup. In Japan, the wait time for the same model is five to six weeks. However, for the standard iPhone 15 Pro, the waiting period is just two to three weeks in both the U.S. and Japan, even for the 128-gigabyte version.
Industry analysts have suggested that the extended waiting period for the Pro Max variant may partly be attributed to initial supply constraints, particularly concerning the display components, which are designed with thinner bezels compared to earlier iPhone models. Fortunately, these supply challenges have reportedly been resolved, according to Nabila Popal, the research director for a global tracker group at IDC. She predicts that Apple will ramp up shipments as the holiday season approaches, with a focus on the Pro Max model, potentially boosting the company’s average-selling price.
In China, where Apple has made significant inroads since the decline of Huawei, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models quickly sold out on Alibaba’s Tmall marketplace within a minute of becoming available. On JD.com, another major sales channel for Apple in China, over 3.4 million reservations were recorded for all four iPhone 15 models in anticipation of the official launch.
Ivan Lam, a senior analyst at Counterpoint, noted that the iPhone 15 series, especially the Pro variants, has garnered substantial interest from iPhone 11 and 12 users seeking an upgrade. However, he also highlighted that Huawei’s Mate 60 series poses a formidable challenge to the iPhone, as Huawei recently introduced advanced chip technology, potentially marking a resurgence for the Chinese tech giant. State media reports indicate that Huawei has raised its second-half shipment target for the Mate 60 series by 20% due to better-than-expected sales, forecasting at least 40 million new smartphone units for 2023.
It’s worth noting that Huawei’s Mate 60 launch has deviated from its traditional pre-marketing and glitzy event approach. The company is scheduled to hold an event on September 25, where it is expected to unveil more details about its new smartphone offerings. This move signals Huawei’s determination to regain its footing in the fiercely competitive smartphone market, following challenges posed by U.S. export controls.
