Apple Firmware Lock Lets iPhone 18 Pro Max Battery Clear 20Wh Shipping Limit
Apple has built a firmware lock into the iPhone 18 Pro Max that holds battery capacity under the 20Wh shipping threshold and releases automatically at first boot, according to Apple's support page.
Once a user activates the device, the iPhone 18 Pro Max returns to its rated charging capacity — about 21.75Wh on US eSIM-only models and 21.06Wh on European versions that carry a physical SIM slot. The firmware therefore ships the phone below the regulatory line but restores the full figure once the handset is in a buyer's hands.
Apple also provides a way to put the limit back. A "Prepare to Ship" feature in the settings menu caps charging at 80 percent for 14 days, and the company says it can be used when a phone is sent out for repair or resale. The option sits under General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Prepare to Ship. Apple notes that the battery "might need to discharge for Prepare to Ship to complete" and may run warmer than usual while the process finishes. Users can turn the feature off at any time from the same settings menu.
The approach differs from the one most Android manufacturers take. Rather than relying on software, they typically ship devices outside Asia with smaller dual-cell batteries to stay under the same shipping restrictions — a route that costs more and takes up more physical space inside the phone. Apple's firmware method uses capacity the hardware already has and only limits it while the phone is in transit.
Whether other phone makers follow is not yet clear. The Verge reported that if Apple's fix works as intended, Android manufacturers may adopt a similar software-based solution. Neither Apple nor any Android maker has announced such plans beyond the iPhone 18 Pro Max's existing implementation.