Apple Confirms iPhone 18 Pro Max AT&T Issues, Devices Require Replacement
4 hours ago
- Apple identified an issue affecting a small number of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on AT&T, causing loss of service and inability to make calls.
- Apple released iOS 27.0.1 and is issuing a carrier settings update to help prevent the issue; users can manually trigger the carrier settings download via Settings > General > About.
- The software updates will not restore service to devices that have already lost it — those devices require a hardware replacement.
- Affected users cannot connect to AT&T for calls, texts, or data and see "SOS" in the status bar; not all iPhone 18 Pro Max users on AT&T are impacted.
- The issue appears specific to AT&T and to the U.S. iPhone 18 Pro Max, which uses Qualcomm modems rather than Apple's C2 modem, suggesting a Qualcomm/AT&T network interaction.
- It is unusual that a software update can prevent unaffected devices from losing service but cannot recover devices already affected.
- A lingering question is whether the issue is tied to AT&T customers or the AT&T network itself — including MVNOs that use AT&T's backend, such as US Mobile's "Dark Star" service.