Late last week, we reported on a slew of iPhone 18 Pro Max issues, including one that affected cellular connectivity for AT&T versions of Apple's newest phone.
Unfortunately, in an update from Apple, you might need to replace an affected iPhone 18 Pro Max at the Apple Store.
Simply put, brand-new Pro Max phones were starting in SOS mode and not connecting to AT&T's network, or they were operating slowly when they did connect. AT&T acknowledged the problem and told Tom's Guide that the carrier was working with Apple on it.
"Our top priority is ensuring customers can stay connected when they need it most, and we are working with Apple to make it right," an AT&T spokesperson said.
At the time, both Apple and AT&T were encouraging iPhone 18 Pro Max owners to update to iOS 27.0.1, which was meant to fix the issue.
"We released iOS 27.0.1 earlier this week and strongly encourage all iPhone 18 Pro Max users to update now, and are also issuing a carrier settings update today," an Apple spokesperson told Tom's Guide. "These updates together are meant to help prevent this issue from occurring.”
However, if you already have an affected device without service, you can't reactivate it via software. Apple confirmed that you will need to go to an Apple or AT&T store to get a hardware replacement.
Tom's Guide was told that this issue has only been observed with the iPhone 18 Pro Max on the AT&T network. We have reached out to AT&T to confirm the information that we received from Apple.
Notably, the US version of the Pro Max is the only new iPhone that utilizes a Qualcomm cellular modem. The Pro model and iPhone Duo feature Apple's in-house-designed C2 modem. However, it's unclear whether that is causing the problems, since no other carrier appears to be affected.
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