iPhone 18 Pro Max users face major AT&T glitch: Apple asks some US users to swap phones

Apple has asked some AT&T customers to replace their iPhone 18 Pro Max after a bug cut off cellular service on the $1,299 phone, which went on sale two weeks ago. Affected users have been unable to make calls, use mobile data or send and receive text messages, according to a Bloomberg report.

The issue has prevented some users from making calls, accessing mobile data and sending or receiving text messages. Their phones remain largely unusable unless they are connected to Wi-Fi. Apple has not disclosed how many customers have been affected.

“We have identified an issue affecting a small number of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the AT&T network that may cause a device to lose service and be unable to make calls,” an Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg News.


Apple has released a carrier settings update and iOS 27.0.1 to prevent the issue from affecting more users. The carrier settings update will automatically reach AT&T customers over the next 14 days.

The company has advised users to install all available software updates immediately. Users can manually check for the update by opening Settings, selecting General and then tapping About.

However, users whose phones have already been affected will need to swap their devices for new ones through Apple or AT&T.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max has one key hardware difference from the other new iPhone models sold in the US. It uses a cellular modem made by Qualcomm, while models such as the smaller iPhone 18 Pro use Apple’s in-house C2 modem.

The new Pro Max model has been marketed with camera, battery and performance upgrades. However, customer reports indicate that the AT&T cellular glitch has affected only the iPhone 18 Pro Max.