iPhone 15 Pro Max could be seriously in short supply in Taiwan: source

Taipei, Sept. 19 (CNA) Local demand for Apple Inc.'s flagship iPhone 15 Pro Max could "seriously" outstrip supply in the initial weeks following its Taiwan release on Sept. 22, according to an industry source.

The source, who works in Taiwan's smartphone distribution supply chain, told CNA on Monday that a combination of the iPhone 15 Pro Max making up only 10 percent of initial shipments but the bulk of preorder sales, the model was likely to be in "seriously short supply" for at least two weeks and potentially as late as November.

Apple opened preorder sales for its four new iPhone models -- the 6.1-inch iPhone 15, the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus, the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max -- from 8 p.m. on Sept. 15.

The standard iPhone 15 has a starting price tag of NT$29,900 (US$934), while the iPhone 15 Plus will cost NT$32,900.

In addition, the flagship iPhone 15 Pro is priced from NT$36,900 and the high-end iPhone 15 Pro Max has a starting price tag of NT$44,900. The iPhone 15 Pro Max with 1TB storage has been priced at NT$58,900 -- the most expensive iPhone ever.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera will have several additional new features, including 5x optical zoom, while the iPhone 15 Pro models will have three cameras, similar to previous pro models, as well as a 48-megapixel main camera sensor.

Both iPhone 15 Pro models are powered by the latest A17 Pro GPU, the first Apple chip made using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC)'s advanced 3-nanometer process. The new six-core GPU is about 20 percent faster than its predecessor, the A16 Bionic.

In addition, the two iPhone 15 Pro models will have a titanium frame, replacing the stainless steel that has been used since the iPhone X.

The four new iPhones will come with "Dynamic Island," an interface feature at the top of the screen that gives users a new way to see notifications and interact with apps. The feature was first introduced to the previous flagship iPhone 14 Pro models last September.

Meanwhile, the new models will switch to a USB-C port, ending an 11-year run for Apple's Lightning charging plug.

Echoing the source, Huang Li-jung (黃麗容), president of Apple authorized reseller Data Express, said on Tuesday demand was strong for the iPhone 15 Pro series, adding that consumers had snapped up all preorders allocated to her company within two hours.

Huang said as the preorder sale volume of the four iPhone 15 models in her company rose 60-70 percent from a year earlier, she expects sales will grow more than 20 percent after the phones become available Friday.

According to a survey from Data Express, 42 percent of the respondents favored the iPhone 15 Pro, 39 percent wanted to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max, 11 percent liked the iPhone 15, and 8 percent would choose the iPhone 15 Plus.

The survey found consumers were amazed by the USB-C port, the titanium frame and 5x optical zoom, the new features in the latest iPhones.