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Massive demand for the iPhone 16 Pro Max has postponed deliveries to mid-October or even later for some users within hours of preorders going live.
Preorders for the iPhone 16 series opened up earlier on September 13th. With the high demand for the Pro models, especially the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the expected delivery dates have already begun sliding into October from the promised delivery schedule of September 20th.
Apple has already changed the tentative delivery window for the iPhone 16 Pro Max to October 7–14 within mere hours of opening preorders. AppleInsider noted the dates for these models started slipping within the first 20 minutes of Apple accepting preorders for the new iPhones. With the iPhone 15 Pro Max being the most sold iPhone model from the previous generation, a similar attention to the iPhone 16 Pro Max isn’t surprising.
Me sitting here for the next 15 minutes waiting for the iPhone 16 preorders to open pic.twitter.com/s2gFNMb1ID
— Aaron (@aaronp613) September 13, 2024
Understandably, this phenomenon accounts for the high demand as preorders line up for the Pro Max. The only exception is the 1TB variant of the Natural Titanium, which, at the time of writing, is still available for the window between September 30 and October 2.
How to Still Have iPhone 16 Pro Max in Time
You can still pick up the iPhone 16 Pro Max on launch day, September 20, from a physical Apple Store. However, you would still need to pre-reserve the unit by paying the entire amount upfront.
Another alternative to getting the iPhone 16 Pro Max delivered earlier is buying it at Walmart. The company currently promises delivery by September 25. Unfortunately, the offer only exists for Verizon users.
Meanwhile, the smaller iPhone 16 Pro has a lower demand, with all the Natural Titanium variants and select storage options in other colors still available for day-1 deliveries. Unlike the Pro Max, which sees high demand across all cadres, the iPhone 16 Pro appears sought chiefly after in 256GB and 512GB models, with the base 128GB and the 1TB models available more easily. Notably, the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts with 256GB storage and skips out on the lower 128GB model while sharing all specifications with the smaller sibling.
Some non-Pro iPhone 16 models also witness delayed deliveries, but something different from the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The latest delivery date of September 25 is for the iPhone 16’s 256GB variant, while the others are still available until September 20. The Plus variant, which will be discontinued next year due to the cold response received by the older models, is also available for delivery on the first day.
Meanwhile, another Apple product announced earlier this week is selling like hot cakes: the new Apple Watch Series 10, especially in the new Jet Black colorway. Expected delivery timelines for the Jet Black and the new titanium Apple Watch model have already slipped into the second half of October and could slide further in the coming days. In addition to good looks, the new Apple Watch comes with more efficient hardware, AI features through watchOS 11, and the ability to detect sleep apnea.
With massive upgrades to its design and internals, the new Apple Watch is expected to propel an upgrade supercycle, with a large pool of existing Apple Watch owners slated to replace it with the new one.
