Apple Says Some AT&T iPhone 18 Pro Max Phones Must Be Replaced After Service Failure

Apple announced on October 2nd that a limited number of AT&T iPhone 18 Pro Max devices may experience a loss of cellular service, rendering the phones inoperable. Apple stated that these devices will need to be replaced, while software updates are designed to prevent future occurrences. Apple confirmed that the issue affects only the iPhone 18 Pro Max when used with AT&T, and no other iPhone models or carriers have reported the same problem.

The affected phones may enter SOS mode, disrupting calls, texts, mobile data, and 911 calls, impacting businesses that rely on the devices for employee communication. Apple released iOS 27.0.1 on September 28th and an AT&T carrier settings update on October 2nd to help prevent additional failures. However, phones that have already lost service due to the confirmed issue cannot have service restored through a software update.

Apple Support or AT&T should be contacted for a replacement in such cases. All working iPhones should be updated to iOS 27.0.1 and the latest AT&T carrier settings to avoid future issues. Apple has not disclosed the root cause of the service failures.