Painful warning for millions of iPhone fans as the Christmas nightmare was revealed

IPHONE fans expecting to find the latest model under the Christmas tree shouldn’t get their hopes up too high.

Some iPhone 14s have been hit by shortages through December 25 and show no signs of easing before then.

1

Availability varies greatly by country and model type.

For example, in the UK, if you want the top-end iPhone 14 Pro Max in Deep Purple with 1TB of storage, you won’t be able to get it direct from Apple in time for Christmas Day.

You now have to wait until January 4th at the earliest.

The standard iPhone 14 has a much better chance with an expected delivery date of December 16th.

And if you’re considering trying carriers instead, the situation isn’t much better.

Many quote waiting times of three to four weeks for the Pro and Pro Max.

It’s virtually impossible to find instant stock for the pair anywhere.

The problem lies with the strict Covid restrictions in China, where much of the iPhone is made.

Last month, Apple announced that its manufacturing partners were operating at “significantly reduced capacity.”

The company warned at the time that iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments would be hit and that customers will “experience longer waits to receive their new products.”

Apple reportedly has plans to move some manufacturing out of China to avoid the issue, but that will likely take some time to kick-start.

So if you’re thinking of buying an iPhone Pro and Pro Max as a gift, you might want to reconsider.

You could now order one that warns the recipient that of course their gift won’t arrive on Christmas Day.

Or find an alternative – as mentioned, there is stock available for the main iPhone 14 device.

The same goes for the iPhone 14 Plus, so they might be worth considering instead if being on time is important to you.

The best tips and hacks for phones and gadgets

Looking for tips and hacks for your phone? Want to find these secret features in social media apps? We’ve got you covered…

Get the latest news about WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and other tech gadgets here.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science Team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk