When unboxing the brand new iPhone 18 Pro Max, you may notice the battery capacity is lower than advertised. This is not surprising. According to U.S. transportation regulations, lithium-ion batteries exceeding 20 Wh are classified as "hazardous materials," so Apple must reduce the battery capacity during factory shipment to comply with these regulations.
However, there's no need to worry. To resolve this issue, Apple has cleverly incorporated a new software system called "Prepare to Ship." During transportation, the battery is reduced below 20 Wh. Once the phone reaches the user and powers on for the first time, the battery capacity automatically reverts to the originally advertised specifications.
If you need to repair your phone, replace parts, or send it to a loved one via mail, you must also comply with this regulation. Go to Settings, then Transfer or Reset iPhone, and manually enable "Prepare to Ship." It's also known that disconnecting the charging cable during this process speeds up the operation.
Ref: uniladtech
