Apple to Replace iPhone 18 Pro Max Units Hit by AT&T Call Issue
Apple says affected iPhone 18 Pro Max owners on AT&T will get a free replacement, and iOS 27.0.1 adds a carrier-settings patch to stop the problem recurring.
Apple will give a free replacement iPhone 18 Pro Max to owners whose handsets could not make calls on AT&T's network, and it has released a carrier-settings patch alongside the iOS 27.0.1 update to keep the connectivity problem from happening again, according to CNET.
The fault appears limited to iPhone 18 Pro Max models running on AT&T. Affected customers should contact Apple Support or AT&T.
Last week, some iPhone 18 Pro Max owners on AT&T reported losing cellular access entirely. This week, AT&T texted those owners urging them to move to iOS 27.0.1 immediately, MacRumors reported. In Reddit threads, some owners said the iOS 27.0.1 update on its own did not fix the problem, and neither did installing the public beta of iOS 27.2.
MacRumors estimates that thousands of customers have been affected. T-Mobile and Verizon say they are not seeing similar reports on their networks.
Hardware differences
The iPhone 18 Pro Max sold in the US is the only model with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem, according to a teardown by iFixit. A TechInsights teardown found the same X80 modem inside the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but the iPhone 18 Pro Max adds a new millimeter-wave antenna.
Quick answers
Which iPhone 18 Pro Max owners are eligible for a free replacement?
Apple says it will replace units already affected by the AT&T cellular connectivity issue at no cost.
Does the iOS 27.0.1 update fix the problem?
Apple has issued a carrier-settings patch with iOS 27.0.1 to prevent the issue in future, but some owners reported on Reddit that the update alone did not resolve it.
What should affected customers do?
Apple says they should contact Apple Support or AT&T.