Overview
- Apple applies a firmware-enforced cap that makes the iPhone 18 Pro Max report a battery under the 20 watt-hour shipping threshold while the device is in transit.
- The restriction is temporary and is removed automatically when a customer first activates the phone so the device then offers its full rated battery capacity.
- For later shipments such as repairs, trade-ins or returns Apple offers a user-triggered Prepare to Ship workflow that discharges the battery below 20Wh and applies a charging limit.
- Prepare to Ship can take minutes to hours depending on current charge, may make the phone warmer during the process, and sets charging to 80 percent for up to 14 days unless the user disables it sooner.
- Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro Max actually has a battery above 20Wh and delivers its largest battery-life gain to date through a bigger cell and the A20 Pro chip, and this firmware approach could change how manufacturers meet lithium-battery shipping rules.