Some AT&T customers with new iPhone 18 Pro Max smartphones will need to have their devices replaced.
Last week, Apple confirmed a "small number" of iPhone 18 Pro Max smartphones lost cellular service on the AT&T network. The iPhone 18 Pro Max, starting at $1,299, began hitting stores on Sept. 18. Owners of the devices on other networks have not been affected, Apple says.
Those whose iPhone 18 Pro Max smartphones were affected were unable to make phone calls, send text messages or get data, and the devices would enter SOS mode, as reported by outlets including MacRumors and 9to5Mac.
In response, the tech giant last week released a software update (iOS 27.0.1), along with a carrier settings update, meant to prevent "this issue from occurring" for
other AT&T iPhone 18 Pro Max owners. The iPhone 18 Pro, released at the same time, has not had the issue; iPhone 18 Pro Max devices on Verizon or T-Mobile do not either.
AT&T told customers with iPhone 18 Pro Max smartphones to update their phones to "address an issue that may affect calls, data, texts and 911 calls on a small number of Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max phones," the carrier said in its own statement."Our top priority is ensuring customers can stay connected when they need it most, and we are working with Apple to make it right.," AT&T's statement read.
What does the latest update do?
The latest iOS update, iOS 27.0.1, is meant to prevent future impacts to iPhone 18 Pro Max users, Apple says.
But the update has fixes for other iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max bugs, regardless of network, including unexpected restarting when Face ID fails to authenticate, and the appearance of a color artifact "on photos captured at 2x under certain lighting conditions" and other settings, Apple says.
The software update will not help those AT&T customers with new iPhone 18 Pro Max devices that do not connect to the AT&T network because the update will not reactivate affected devices, Apple says. Those customers will need to get their smartphones replaced, according to Apple.
Another fix, for all iPhone users, resolves a bug causing the touchscreen to become unresponsive upon opening the Notification Center and Control Center simultaneously, Apple says.
The carrier settings update is meant for AT&T customers with iPhone Pro Max devices to prevent "this issue from occurring" on devices currently operating correctly.
Neither Apple nor AT&T have confirmed a number of affected customers. However, MacRumors reported it appeared "thousands of users have complained about the issue" online on Apple's Support Community and elsewhere.
What AT&T customers should do if they have an iPhone 18 Pro Max
If you have an iPhone 18 Pro Max smartphone on the AT&T network, update to iOS 27.0.1 by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
The carrier's settings update will download automatically over the next 14 days, but customers can manually trigger it by going to Settings > General > About.
What AT&T customers should do if their iPhone 18 Pro Max won't connect
Neither Apple nor AT&T have given an official explanation of the problem with the "small number" of iPhone 18 Max Pro phones.
Those with a non-functioning iPhone 18 Pro Max should contact Apple Support or AT&T wireless support, or go to an Apple Store or AT&T store.
It's not the first time Apple has had an issue with iPhones. In 2024, "a very small percentage" of iPhone 14 Plus phones did not exhibit previews when using the rear camera, Macworld reported.Three years earlier, a "small percentage" of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro phones had issues with sound coming through on phone calls, Mashable reported.
Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Apple says some AT&T users' iPhone 18 Pro Max phones must be replaced
