iPhone 18 Pro Max Issue Could Leave You Needing a Replacement
Apple has confirmed that a "small number" of iPhone 18 Pro Max devices on AT&T's network are losing cellular service, leaving owners unable to make calls, send texts or use mobile data. Apple has released software and carrier updates to keep the problem from spreading, but phones that have already lost service will need a hardware replacement.
On October 2, Apple said they had identified an issue that may cause affected devices to lose service entirely. The company urged all iPhone 18 Pro Max owners to install iOS 27.0.1 and said a new carrier settings update, released the same day, works alongside it to help prevent the problem.
Those updates won't fix phones that are already affected. Apple says owners who have lost service should contact Apple Support or AT&T, or visit an Apple Store or AT&T location to arrange a replacement. Apple has not said how many devices are affected or what is causing the failure.
Complaints started surfacing shortly after the iPhone 18 Pro Max launched in September. Owners on Reddit and other forums reported phones dropping from 5G into SOS mode, which means the phone has no connection to its carrier. Some users also said they couldn't activate an AT&T eSIM at all, while others reported phones that worked for several days before suddenly losing service.
AT&T acknowledged the problem earlier in the week. The carrier sent customers a text message telling them to update to iOS 27.0.1 immediately, warning that some phones might not be able to complete calls, texts or data, including calls to 911. In a separate statement AT&T said they were working with Apple to resolve the issue.
The guidance initially caused some confusion. The release notes for iOS 27.0.1 mentioned fixes for Face ID and camera issues on the iPhone 18 Pro models but said nothing about AT&T connectivity, and several affected owners reported that the update did not restore their service. Apple then explained that the update is meant to prevent the problem, not reverse it.
The issue appears limited to one model. In the US, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the only new iPhone that uses a Qualcomm cellular modem. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo use Apple's own C2 modem worldwide, as does the iPhone 18 Pro Max sold outside the US. So far, there have been no similar reports from iPhone 18 Pro owners on AT&T.
The carrier settings update will download automatically over the next 14 days. Owners who don't want to wait can trigger it by opening Settings, tapping General, then About. iOS 27.0.1 is available under Settings, General, Software Update.
For now, iPhone 18 Pro Max owners on AT&T whose phones are still working should install both updates as soon as possible. Anyone already seeing SOS in place of their signal bars will need to go through Apple or AT&T for a replacement device.
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