Apple’s iPhone battery firmware skirts shipping limits

Apple has implemented a battery‑firmware workaround on the iPhone 18 Pro Max to keep single‑cell capacity below the 20Wh shipping limit; the firmware lock automatically unlocks on first boot, restoring charging capacity to about 21.75Wh (US eSIM models) or 21.06Wh (EU with physical SIM). If you need to ship the device for repair or resale, the feature “Prepare to Ship” caps charging at 80% for 14 days. Apple notes the battery might need to discharge for the process to complete and the phone may run warmer during discharge. If successful, this approach could push other manufacturers to explore similar solutions to balance longer battery life with shipping constraints.