Overview
- Since the iPhone 18 Pro Max launched in mid‑September thousands of users reported devices showing “SOS” and losing calls, texts and mobile data, and Apple publicly confirmed the issue on Oct. 2.
- Apple released iOS 27.0.1 and pushed an AT&T carrier settings update identified as moving carrier version 72.0.2 to 72.1 to limit new occurrences and began requiring 27.0.1 during Pro Max setup.
- Apple says the software changes are preventive and cannot reactivate service on phones already affected, so units that have lost cellular must be replaced at Apple or AT&T locations.
- The companies describe the problem as affecting a “small number” of phones, but large forum threads and thousands of complaints suggest broader visibility; the root cause—software, carrier configuration, or interaction with the Qualcomm modem used in U.S. Pro Max units—remains unresolved.
- Customer experiences are mixed: some users report successful in‑store replacements while others say requests were denied, so affected owners should update iOS, check Settings > General > About to trigger the carrier update, document failures, and contact Apple or AT&T for replacement options.