Overview
- Owners on Reddit and MacRumors describe intermittent crackling, popping, clicking or a raspy high-frequency sound coming mainly from the earpiece on both iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models.
- The iPhone 18 Pro series went on sale on Sept. 18, 2026, and reports of the noise began appearing within days as early buyers posted forum threads and comments.
- Apple released iOS 27.0.1 on Sept. 28 to fix a separate Face ID restart bug, but the update’s release notes did not mention speaker fixes and users report no consistent improvement after installing it.
- Several people who returned affected phones say their replacement units exhibited the same noise, which keeps the question of a software bug versus a hardware defect unresolved.
- Because Apple has not publicly acknowledged the reports, affected buyers are advised to contact Apple or use retailer return and exchange windows while the company investigates.