Overview
- Apple told reporters on Friday that a small number of iPhone 18 Pro Max phones on AT&T can permanently lose cellular service and that affected units must be replaced.
- Apple released iOS 27.0.1 earlier in the week and both companies issued an AT&T carrier settings update on Oct. 2 to help prevent further incidents.
- Those software updates will not restore service on phones already stuck in SOS mode and unable to make calls, send texts, or use cellular data.
- Thousands of user reports on Apple Support forums, Reddit, and MacRumors describe the problem and AT&T sent automated texts urging users to update, which created confusion when many said the update did not fix their phones.
- The issue appears limited to U.S. iPhone 18 Pro Max units on AT&T and has prompted modem speculation because U.S. Pro Max models use a Qualcomm modem, but Apple has not confirmed a root cause and replacement logistics remain uneven at stores.