Elain Brown Tech 05.26.2022 07:May AM EDT

Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Experiences Production Delay Amid COVID-19 Lockdown in China

Apple is potentially dealing with a production delay for the iPhone 14 due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown in China.

Apple and its suppliers are experiencing difficulties keeping up with the production of the iPhone 14 because of the extensive lockdown around China's business supply hub. It is reported that the production of the iPhone 14 Max has been pushed back by three weeks.

As part of China's stringent zero-COVID policy, lockdowns in and around Shanghai began in late March. Despite an easing of restrictions, the impact on supply chains continues to linger despite the fact that restrictions have been lifted.

Apple's iPhone 14 Production Delay

Apple has instructed its suppliers to accelerate product development efforts in order to make up for the lost time. According to 9to5Mac, the production of at least one of Apple's new flagship iPhones for this year has fallen behind schedule as a direct result of the disruptions caused by the month-long COVID lockdowns in China.

Unfortunately, an Apple supplier stated that there is difficulty with speed, given the current situation in Shanghai, China.As reported by Nikkei Asia, Apple and its manufacturers are reportedly working on four new iPhone models for this year, and they are currently going by the working titles of iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone Max 14, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Screens measuring 6.1 inches will be standard on the iPhone 14 and iPhone Pro models. Screens measuring 6.7 inches will come standard on the iPhone Max and iPhone Pro Max models.

Typically, all new iPhone models are finished by the end of June, and the company then moves on to the verification stage. This will allow sufficient time to complete all necessary preparations for mass production by the end of August or the first week of September.

However, the sudden imposition of stringent measures following a scattering of confirmed cases in the country, followed by month-long lockdowns in Apple's most important electronics clusters, has definitely caught the tech giant off guard.

Apple's iPhone 14 Leaks

Apple's iPhone 14 now has a high-quality mockup product design. The famous tech YouTuber, Lewis Hilsenteger, who is popularly known as Unbox Therapy, recently shared a video of him unboxing a mockup of an iPhone 14 Pro Max that he received from a company in China.

Since the iPhone 14 he received is a mock up, it is obviously not functional. However, what made the iPhone 14 mockup significant was its exterior design. The video that Hilsenteger posted proved some iPhone 14 rumors and leaks to be true.

The notch at the top of the iPhone 14 is rumored to be replaced by a pill-shaped design that will allow it to blend in seamlessly with the texture and feel of the iPhone. It also showed a thicker iPhone 14 model. It is speculated that this might indicate longer battery life. The device also featured a bigger and a bit larger power and volume button.

The iPhone 14 is rumored to have the integration of iOS 16.

It is anticipated that Apple will continue to follow the same pattern for the release of operating system updates as it has done over the past few years.

Numerous Apple enthusiasts are expecting that Apple will present iOS 16 to the general public at the Worldwide Developers Conference in 2022. This event is currently scheduled to take place next month, from June 6 to 10.

Soon after the new iOS 16 is introduced, it is expected that it will be made available for beta testing to developers. A beta for the general public will be released shortly after that. As a result of this, it is also presumed that the final version, in addition to the iPhone 14, will be made available for purchase some time during the month of September.