Long story short, someone at DPD swapped it. Apple will refuse to replace it. Check here
I had a similar experience with my 15 Pro Max order. Received a 14 Pro Max instead. It was brand new and sealed and confirmed to be real by Apple. The shipping carton also appeared to be sealed, although after closer inspection, one end looked like it had been opened and re-sealed.
Apple completed an investigation and found that there was absolutely no way an iPhone 14 could have ended up in there. They refused to replace the device. Some people have even received better devices than they ordered, but are still refused a replacement.
In the end, I sent a Karen email to Tim Cook and they agreed to replace my device “as a gesture of goodwill”. Others had this luck? too, but at least one has been denied.
Apple don’t provide any details of their investigation nor will they discuss how they are confident in a 0% error rate in their distribution processes. But one of the victims on the above link has been told by a mobile network that there may be a scam involving courier employees and a device that can scan Apple parcels to determine the contents in order to switch it for fake/stolen phones. Sounds farfetched. I definitely just thought they’d mixed mine up, but that was before it took me 7 weeks to get a £1,500 phone that I’d paid for and found a dozen other people with the same issue.
This is literally exactly what I told Apple. Brand new, sealed, legit iPhone 14 Pro Max that wasn’t blacklisted or activation locked and Apple Care checker showed manufacture date of a few weeks prior to receipt. I hadn’t even opened the device box. Saw it immediately and assumed they’d just sent me someone else’s order and would replace it. Couldn’t believe it when they sent me an email that simply said “we’ve completed our investigation and concluded that the item was delivered on x date”
Apple have told me on several occasions that it’s impossible for them to mix them up. I don’t know how, but even the exec I spoke to told me the same. They don’t even want the 14 Pro Max back. Because they say it’s not their property, so can’t take it.
There are people who’ve ordered 15 pro, but received the 1TB 15 Pro Max. Apple still take the same stance. Despite the £1,000 price difference in the customers favour. I still can’t work out what the scam is in this instance.