If you want the 14 Pro or 14 Pro Max before the end of the year, it will be difficult to get it.

The total shipments of the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be less than expected.

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In Zhengzhou, China, there are restrictions on the assembly of most iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max units. The facility is operating at a reduced capacity according to Apple.

The situation has worsened because of the labor protests at the Zhengzhou iPhone plant. Hundreds of workers have been protesting at the plant due to a delay in bonus payment.

It takes time to move a small part of iPhone production elsewhere. The mass shipments of iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max won't start again until late December at the earliest, according to Kuo.

This will be reflected in Apple's earnings report. It means that the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be hard to find during the holiday season. The inventory of Apple stores in the Seattle and Portland areas did not include any units of the Pro and Pro Max models.

Apple Store iPhone

The wait time is 4 weeks, no matter which model you choose. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Apple

It's not possible to get the units before Christmas because the shipping time was always four weeks. The iPhone 14 models are immediately available for purchase.

There's more bad news for the company. With the looming economic recession, most people won't wait for the top models to appear in stores; instead, they'll just disappear.