The demand for the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max appears to be increasing as the holiday season approaches. The handsets were released last month and delivery dates on new orders are already stretching into November as Apple apparently struggles to meet the overwhelming demand.
iPhone 14 order delays are hardly unexpected. Almost every year Apple’s latest smartphones end up on backorder, and the new generation of iPhone appears to be no different. While getting your hands on the base iPhone 14, or the larger iPhone 14 Plus variant, is a relatively straightforward task, shoppers eager to purchase the Pro or Pro Max models could be waiting as long as six weeks before receiving their new iPhone.
iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max: How long you'll wait
The Apple Store currently estimates a delivery date between October 28 and November 4 on iPhone 14 Pro orders, while the top-tier iPhone 14 Pro Max isn’t expected to be delivered until November 11 in some cases. Third-party sellers such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile indicate similar delivery delays.
Furthermore, these delivery estimates will almost-certainly extend further with each passing day. There is a very real possibility that by the end of the month getting your hands on either an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max in time for holiday gifting will be virtually impossible without resorting to the resale market and paying a high markup.
Why this is the year to go Pro
It’s not a huge surprise the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are proving the most popular models. The base iPhone 14 offers relatively small iterative upgrades compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 13, whereas the Pro includes several high-profile new features including the Dynamic Island as a notch replacement and an always-on display, which has been a long-requested feature.
Other iPhone 14 Pro-exclusive features include the 120Hz ProMotion display and 3x telephoto zoom lens. In our iPhone 14 Pro review, we noted that “it’s hard to think of anything truly wrong with this device." So, it doesn't come as a shock that consumer interest is so high.
While demand for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max model will no doubt please Apple, Bloomberg reports that the company has nixed plans to produce an additional six million iPhone 14 units as demand hasn’t been as strong as anticipated. That is definitely reflected in the current availability of the base iPhone 14 model which can be obtained within just a few days according to the Apple Store delivery estimates.
Bottom line
Regardless of your chosen model, if you plan to upgrade to one of the latest iPhones before the end of 2022, then we advise you to get your order in as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. That advice is doubly true if you’ve got your eye on the Pro or Pro Max configurations. And if you are in the market for the new Apple smartphone, be sure to check out our roundup of the best iPhone 14 deals for all the latest offers across retailers.
