The iPhone 18 Pro launch problems have been piling up since Apple’s newest Pro smartphones hit shelves, with four distinct issues ranging from random reboots to a finish that appears to be wearing away on some devices within days of purchase. None of it is cause for mass panic, but it has been a rougher rollout than Apple would have wanted.
Random Reboots and the 911 Call Risk
The first issue to surface was random reboots. Users reported that after a failed Face ID attempt, their iPhone 18 Pro would freeze and then restart. Curiously, MacRumors noted that Apple’s newest Apple Watches, the Series 12 and Ultra 4, were showing similar behaviour, suggesting a broader glitch in iOS 27 and watchOS 27. Apple moved quickly, releasing patches in iOS 27.0.1 and watchOS 27.0.1, with each update’s release notes referencing only that single fix.
More concerning was what AT&T disclosed separately. The carrier sent alerts to iPhone 18 Pro Max users urging them to update immediately, warning that some devices may be unable to complete calls, texts or data connections, including when dialling 911. The full AT&T message read: ‘Hi, it’s AT&T. Action needed: An important Apple software update for your iPhone 18 Pro Max is available. Some phones may be unable to complete calls/text/data, including to 911. Update to iOS 27.0.1 immediately, Settings > General > Software Update. Please contact AT&T or Apple if you have questions.’
Apple confirmed the problem in a statement to 9to5Mac: ‘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. 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. These updates together are meant to help prevent this issue from occurring.’
Critically, the updates are described as being meant to prevent the issue from occurring, not to fix it once it has taken hold. If an iPhone 18 Pro Max has already lost cellular connectivity, 9to5Mac reports that users will need to swap the device for an entirely new handset through either Apple or AT&T.
iPhone 18 Pro Launch Problems: Who Is Actually Affected?
The connectivity issue is notably narrow in scope. MacRumors speculates it may be related to the fact that the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the only new iPhone this year to ship with a Qualcomm modem rather than Apple’s own C2 modem. Affected users on AT&T can lose service entirely, forcing their devices into SOS mode.
The regular iPhone 18 Pro on AT&T is not included in the alert, and there are no reports of similar problems from T-Mobile or Verizon customers. The issue, at least as it currently stands, appears confined to the Pro Max model on a single carrier’s network.
That is a meaningful distinction for anyone deciding between the two Pro models, or weighing up which carrier to use.
Speaker Noise and Fading Finish
Two further iPhone 18 Pro launch problems have emerged, though neither carries the same urgency as the 911 connectivity issue.
Some users are reporting a cracking or popping noise from their devices’ speakers. On Reddit, one user described the sound as resembling someone pulling an aux cable from a headphone jack, coming intermittently from the upper speaker. Others in the thread reported a light buzzing at maximum volume and crackling during calls in mono speaker mode. Updating to iOS 27.0.1 did not resolve the issue for at least one user who tried. Worth noting: not everyone is experiencing it. Several Mashable reporters said they had not heard the sounds on their own iPhone 18 Pros, and one Reddit user reported the crackling on an iPhone 16 Pro Max after updating to iOS 27, suggesting the problem may not be hardware-specific to the new model.
The fourth issue is a finish that appears to be wearing away around the camera lens on some devices, particularly on burgundy and black models. Mashable flagged a Reddit thread in which some users said cleaning the affected area with a cotton bud resolved the discolouration, while others maintained the finish itself had genuinely worn through. It is not yet clear how widespread this is, and the range of outcomes, from a smudge that wipes away to a permanently damaged surface, makes it difficult to assess at this stage.
Apple has not publicly commented on either the speaker noise or the finish issue as of publication.
