Apple's high-end monitor production is facing obstacles, and the supply of new iPhone models may be limited.

On Thursday, July 20th, according to sources familiar with the matter, Apple is facing challenges in assembling its upcoming two new Apple models, the Apple 15 Pro and Pro Max, which could result in shortages when these two new models are released in September.

Apple's suppliers are adopting new manufacturing processes for these two models, which will significantly reduce the width of the display bezels. This will allow the Apple 15 Pro to have a slightly larger screen without increasing the overall size of the phone compared to previous models.

According to an insider, the new process has caused complications with the displays manufactured by LG Display, a screen supplier for Apple. The insider mentioned that Apple faced similar manufacturing challenges when they first introduced the same manufacturing process for the Apple Watch 7 in 2019, which featured a larger screen without increasing the overall size of the watch. This issue resulted in a one-month delay in the release of the Apple Watch 7.

However, individuals involved in the manufacturing of the new Apple models have stated that in this case, the issue is more likely to result in a decrease in the supply quantity at the time of release, rather than a delay in the release itself. The shortage of the Apple 15 Pro Max is expected to be more severe than that of the Apple 15 Pro.

Apart from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the supply chain in 2020, Apple has traditionally released new versions of the iPhone in September each year. For investors, continuing to launch new products in September is crucial because the sales of the new Apple models are a significant factor in the performance of the fourth fiscal quarter.

Furthermore, this technical issue affects Apple's high-end products. The Pro and Pro Max series of Apple models usually have a retail price at least $200 higher than the base models, which means they have higher profit margins. The supply shortage at the time of release could have a negative impact on Apple's short-term performance.

On Thursday, Apple's stock price fell over 1%.

The Apple 15 Pro and Pro Max are currently in the manufacturing stage known as "risk ramp," where Foxconn, responsible for the final assembly of the phones, has produced hundreds of thousands of units to test the reliability of defect-free products. As usual, Apple is expected to begin mass production of the new models in August, with millions of units to be produced, and these phones are typically shipped to customers starting at the end of September.

Insiders mentioned that the displays manufactured by LG failed reliability tests after adopting the new Low Injection Pressure Encapsulation (LIPO) process. Apple has been making design adjustments to the LG-produced displays to ensure they pass the tests. In addition to LG, Apple can still use displays manufactured by its main supplier, Samsung, to ensure that it can continue to assemble a large number of new phones.

The upcoming new Apple models this year are expected to feature several significant upgrades in recent years: they will be equipped with USB-C ports (instead of Apple's proprietary Lightning charging port), titanium frames, and new multi-configuration buttons (replacing the traditional mute switch). The Apple 15 Pro will also be powered by chips made with the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing process, which will greatly improve battery life and performance compared to previous generations.

According to leaks from the media and insiders, the Apple 15 series to be launched this year may also include four models - two regular models and two large-screen models. Among them, the Apple 15 and Apple 15 Pro are expected to have 6.1-inch OLED displays, while the Apple 15 Plus and Apple 15 Pro Max will have larger 6.7-inch screens. Some leaked renders suggest that the screen sizes of the first two models may increase slightly to 6.2 inches.