Apple will replace iPhone 18 Pro Max units that lose AT&T service

An iPhone 18 Pro Max on AT&T that loses cellular service cannot be fixed with an update: it has to be replaced. Apple said so in an Oct. 2 statement reported by MacRumors. The fault cuts calls, texts and mobile data. Wi-Fi keeps working.

Apple says the problem affects "a small number" of users of that model on the AT&T network in the United States. The company has not said how many phones are involved or what causes it, and it has not seen the fault on other models or carriers.

Anyone who has already lost service can go to Apple Support, an Apple Store or an AT&T store. MacRumors reports that in-store swaps are free, but Apple has not confirmed a formal replacement program.

For everyone else, Apple released iOS 27.0.1 and, with AT&T, a carrier settings update meant to prevent new cases. The AT&T update installs on its own within 14 days and can be forced from Settings, General, About. Neither restores a phone that has already failed.

The US version of the Pro Max uses a Qualcomm modem, the Snapdragon X80, while versions sold elsewhere use Apple's C2, according to that outlet. Apple does not name the modem as the cause, so the detail is context, not a diagnosis. TechSpot cites a Reddit post saying AT&T lists the case as "known" and is investigating it with Apple; the carrier has issued no statement of its own.

In Mexico the report does not apply for now: it is limited to that US network, and Apple does not mention Telcel, AT&T Mexico or any other carrier in the country. All three outlets covering the story rely on the same Apple statement, and no independent testing has confirmed the cases. The phone went on sale about two weeks ago, from $1,299, according to TechSpot.

Still pending: how many units fail, and whether the replacement becomes an official program.