r/iphone18pro • u/AdInformal2790 • 10d ago
Discussion Apple store confirmed the new IOS update bricked my 18 pro max.
Not sure if anyone else has experienced this. My 18 pro max finally came on Tuesday, and was working great up until yesterday. Woke up to it on the white recovery mode screen. Ran through all the options numerous times and nothing worked, had to factory reset and then it was fine for the rest of the day.
Woke up today, recovery mode screen again. This time I just did the restart option and it worked. Few hours later, happened again and nothing would fix it. Took it to the Apple store near me, was there for 2 hours while they tried to restart, reinstall ios before finally attempting to completely wipe the phone. They weren't able to do any of these, and they said it's an issue with the new ios update on the 18's. Nothing they could do. Apparently I was the third person there today that came in with the same issue.
Worst part is there was no stock, so they just refunded me and I'm back on my 12 after waiting 3 weeks for it to arrive. They said they can't order me a replacement unit, I have to just go online and try to find one in stock again. Overall terrible experience tbh, but just thought I'd make a post and see if anyone else has had a similar experience.
- I am in the UK, I purchased direct from Apple.
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u/FailedGradAdmissions 10d ago
Now imagine if you had traded in your 12ā¦
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u/djrobxx 10d ago
Uh huh. The 18PM AT&T fiasco has taught me a valuable lesson about keeping my old phone until the new one is thoroughly tested. Once the trade-in is turned in, your options become much more limited.
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u/Lavamob64 iPhone 18 Pro Max 10d ago
What happened with AT&T?
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u/VadHearts 10d ago
Some AT&T iPhone 18 phones lost cellular connection and they could no longer reconnect. Apple confirmed that the only way to fix this problem is to swap the phone with a new one.
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u/Medical_Diet_1626 10d ago
This also happened on my 17PM, weirdly enough. Iām starting to wonder if itās AT&T just being sloppy.
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u/ImTheRealMarco 10d ago
Okay.. now thatās bad that it happened in the first place, but why do I feel like itās that much worse because itās JUST AT&T devices??
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u/VadHearts 10d ago
They havenāt said the cause of it yet. But it only seems to be affecting the phones with Qualcomm modems. The 18 pro max is the only one in the new lineup that uses them. The regular 18 and the 18 pro uses the C2 modems made by Apple. The Duo is going to be released with the C2 modem as well. Apple claims that the new update prevents this glitch from occurring but if your phone already has the glitch it has to be replaced with a new device. So my personal guess is that it has to do with some sort of code that Apple messed up on since theyāre dealing with two different modems this year and one of them is made by them but the glitched one is made by Qualcomm.
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u/ImTheRealMarco 10d ago
I assume itād be something hardware that gets messed up, otherwise you should be able to update it via a laptop or something similar and just carry on with your purchase.
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u/VadHearts 10d ago
Yeah either hardware or some low level code that canāt be overwritten by a simple reset or update. If theyāre just swapping phones it has to be a serious bug since they already have a hardware shortage. My iPhone 18 pro max says it should be delivered October 7-12. And my sister who ordered a few days after me is getting quoted 22-30.
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u/ImTheRealMarco 10d ago
Damn.. wellā¦ sucks to suck, because no matter how big the company is, this is still a big hit. Iām sure they can afford it, but I do wonder how something this big has happened and whoās exactly to blame. Nonetheless, this shouldnāt be a problem moving forward because they implemented their proprietary hardware and they already have the proprietary software to pair that with. Truly looking forward to where Apple is headed.
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u/VadHearts 10d ago
Apple has tried to wean off of Qualcomm in the past when they contracted Intel to make their modems and it was also a disaster. Maybe not a big as this one though. I want to see where they go from here hopefully they donāt backtrack and go back to Qualcomm. I know that Apple has had success making their own processors but modems are another monster that they havenāt been able to get right.
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u/ImaHamSammich 10d ago
Iām on 27.0.1 on my 18 PM itās completely fine. Black 256gb variant in the US.
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u/Longjumping_Suit8314 10d ago
I have AppleCare, at a minimum, i wouldāve requested an express replacementā¦
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u/navy438 10d ago
There isnāt any right now as the device is just too newā¦
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u/BlueShooter7515 10d ago
Not true. Thereās always reserved stock for these exact situations. Itās part of a hidden inventory not visible to customers.
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u/navy438 10d ago
So why can't they order a replacement unit if there's reserved stock for these situations? Most likely they don't have any given the RAM/ memory crisis.
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u/Longjumping_Suit8314 10d ago
They usually have remember replacement units without the full retail packaging. It might be possible they had issues and ran out of those units? I had to replace a unit on Day 1 from 17 pro last year and they had a unit for swap at the store.
Do you have AppleCare? If so, they have an express warranty replacement in their inventory just for this. Surprised if you have AppleCare and they didnāt have inventory.
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u/ravenerata 10d ago
there isnt any probably because so many people need one, reserved stock are gone
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u/jjthejoker66 10d ago
I just did a express replacement last week. Received in 6 days
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u/NachosGuacamole 10d ago
This is what sucks, 6 days is not express, Ā not in this day an age when I get Amazon orders the same day.
I had to do an express replacement in summer, and I regretted it every single day, I shouldāve just head out to the store.
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u/Breadfruit_Kindly 10d ago
Only you canāt request an express replacement at the store. This is only available with AppleCare support. If itās no more than two weeks they could exchange by bring back policy but otherwise in the store they will need to go for a repair. If itās a brand new device like the 18 Pro though they wonāt have spare parts yet. They would need to replace it but canāt right away because there is as well no stock and theyād have to order as well which wonāt be faster than express replacement with AppleCare support.
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u/NachosGuacamole 8d ago
I know, there was stock for my unit during summer, so a store visit was optional.
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u/Breadfruit_Kindly 8d ago
Again, if you go to a store they will not replace it by express replacement. They would only replace it in the store if it is deemed unrepairable. It is not something you can just request. Express replacement is only available through AppleCare online support. If they offered it to you in the store it was just the coincidence that your device was damaged beyond repair.
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u/NachosGuacamole 7d ago
It was unrepairable, thatās why I said I would have gone to the store. I got the option.
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u/Ablelawy2026 10d ago
I donāt think in the UK they have Apple Care plus they Iām not so sure
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u/purplelilacs2017 10d ago
We have. We donāt have yet the family version but we have the individual ones.
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u/Ablelawy2026 10d ago
OK, thatās weird. They could have replaced you dumb phone by sending you express replacement even though they donāt have the phone or they could send you one from the October phones that will come up soon over there. But at least they refund you the money so you can still wait until December and I think everything will be better that time.
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u/markypuwuu 10d ago
Is this happening with the regular pro? Cause I swear my pro is having awful issues with connectivity? Who do you even reach out to about this?
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u/Familiar_Marzipan_46 10d ago
Only on the pro max with the Qualcomm.
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u/Hot-Quality8768 10d ago
I was under the impression that any pro max sold outside the United States would have Appleās C2 modem and that those are all fine.
I wonder just how widespread this problem really is.
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u/Ok-Motor-3191 10d ago
Wow this is an actually serious problem. I thought iOS 27 was supposed to be the Snow Leopard of iOS. Welp.
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u/Embarrassed-Gur-1306 10d ago
There have been millions of those phones sold and youāre choosing to go off a random Reddit post to declare it a āseriousā problem?
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u/Ok-Motor-3191 10d ago
Going off OPās post, they said they were the third person there that day with the same issue. This is probably not an isolated incident and is definitely serious. I mean, the phones completely bricked, what more can you do? Even Apple Support themselves couldnāt do anything. Wiping it didnāt work.
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u/Stupefied_Gaming 10d ago
This problem is more specific to AT&T than it is Apple.
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u/Ok-Motor-3191 10d ago
They donāt have AT&T in the UK other than roaming, this is an iOS issue.
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u/Stupefied_Gaming 10d ago
Sorry- Iām not sure how but I clearly didnāt read the entire post from OP. š¤¦āāļø
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u/FrankNinjaMonkey 10d ago
Were you on AT&T? This is a terrible problem and I canāt believe they just left you hanging. They announced yesterday that they would replace all iPhones that this happened to, but I guess they arenāt.
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u/AdInformal2790 10d ago
I'm on o2 in the UK, but I purchased the phone direct from Apple. Could you link where they announced this please?
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u/FrankNinjaMonkey 10d ago
They announced it yesterday, hereās a link. It may only apply to iPhone 18 in the US that were on AT&T. Their press release was a bit vague and did not directly promise a replacement:
āWe 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,ā said an Apple spokesperson. āWe 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.ā
The company believes that the problem can be avoided (thatās to say, avoided in the future, not fixed if itās already happened) if users install iOS 27.0.1 and the latest carrier settings update. You need both to be protected, apparently. AT&T-based iPhone 18 Pro Max owners should find that the carrier settings update downloads automatically within the next 14 days, but they can manually trigger this process by opening Settings and going to General > About.But this is a prophylactic measure, not a cure. If an iPhone has already been affected and is therefore without service, Apple admits that it cannot be reactivated via software and will require a hardware replacement. In such cases, the owner should contact Apple Support or AT&T, or visit an Apple Store or AT&T location.ā
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u/Regular-Cry3487 10d ago
I wish this was the case. Apple service is refusing me. I donāt have an Apple Store within hoursā¦ service number is telling me I have to ship my phone there for potential repairā¦
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u/BruceBb2020 10d ago
That really sucks! How can they do that! Itās a brand new phone and itās their fault. You are using an official release and not dev release .
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u/FrankNinjaMonkey 9d ago
Yeah, they are being very vague about what they will do for customers. It is kinda nuts and I feel buying a used/new iPhone 17 is the only safe thing to do.
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u/Seb-sama 10d ago
seems like a really bad quality control job from apple letting a lot of bad 18 PM slip through.
i have no problems with my 18 PM but it was a pain in the ass transferring my cellular to the new phone took me about 5x.
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u/BruceBb2020 10d ago
They assume everyone have iCloud storage subscription and ample of iCloud storage. The phone behaves differently when you have iCloud storage subscription.
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u/jorhey14 10d ago
It happens thatās why I stay away from the first few months on new phones. Thereās always an issue that gets fix later and not enough stock for a replacement.
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u/GIU488 10d ago
Ho un iPhone 16 pro e Con iOS 27 ho avuto problemi di WiFi e Bluetooth con le mie AirPods. Fino a ieri non potevo piĆ¹ mettere la modalitĆ spaziale ma stamattina finalmente lo messa. In oltre ho avuto problemi con il WiFi facendo il test ho visto che la velocitĆ era altissima ma comunque il mio telefono sembrava avere problemi
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u/dommm92 10d ago
Thatās horrible. And my carrier is sending out text messages and emails telling everyone on their service to update to 27.0.1 because there is an issue where the phone will not send/receive call or text. Including emergency calls. The rollout of iPhone 18 has been an absolute disaster.
Lucky my phone has been good. But that really does suck for a lot of people. š¤¦
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u/glowmilk 10d ago
Okay itās good I happened to come across this post because I was considering getting the 18 pro max very soon (also from the UK). I guess my 11 pro max will have to hold on for a little longer before retirement.
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u/EmotionalHumorStory 10d ago
iOS 27.0.1 forced my iPhone 16 pro max into āattempting data recoveryā white screen. Lucky after it did its thing there were no issues.
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u/Ablelawy2026 10d ago
Oh wow I havenāt updated to iOS 27 yet. I have 16 Pro Max but I missed it waiting for my 18 Pro Max to come to my place. Iām from Iām talking about.
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u/Temporary-Depth-3263 10d ago
did you run the beta/seed build of iOS 27 at any point? That will definitely do it.
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u/AdInformal2790 10d ago
i never intentionally did it so i assume not, i just went with what was out the box.
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u/Temporary-Depth-3263 10d ago
I meant on the original phone before you got the iPhone 18 Pro. Going from 27.2 -> ios 27.0 was a no go, caused panics constantly. I had to update the iPhone 18 back to 27.2 before it would work again and gone were the panics.
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u/Massive_Forever_2174 10d ago edited 10d ago
Are you saying that you used the phone straight out out of the box without downloading anything at all? That's different from when my 18 PM arrived. I had to download something before any of my own stuff would transfer from my 17 PM. I'm now on IOS 27.0.1. I got my 18 PM from (US) T-Mobile. I've never had a reboot and it's the phone I'm typing this on now.
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u/Powerful-Ad-1846 10d ago
I'm still waiting for my iPhone 18 pro max to arrive but after reading all these issues people are having I'm tempted to cancel my order and just buy the iPhone 17 instead
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u/slyfox279 10d ago
Dang with if youād traded you phone in theyād just leave you without a phone.
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u/SAVAGE_RPG 10d ago
Had my iPhone 18PM for a few days now from AT&T and havenāt had any of the issues others were having
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u/Open-Employer-3649 10d ago
It happened with me although not the same issue. In my case, the 18PM randomly hangs, disconnects frequently and wouldn't connect to internet. The camera keeps trying to focus on telephoto mode. I am back to my 13PM and will soon return 18PM. And yes, they don't have stock so I am not sure when I'll be able to upgrade.
But also that I am not very impressed with 18PM. The moment I opened the box and set it up, everything felt ordinary at higher price. I rather felt as if I were downgrading because my 13PM has been faster without any issues and the display also feels crisp and clear compared to 18PM. Holding 13PM always gives premium feeling and sadly with 18PM it felt like holding a second hand phone. After being in Apple eco system for more than 10 years, I feel disappointed with the experience of 18PM.
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u/AeroSatan 10d ago
At&T 512GB burgundy 18PM in the States, received on the first day and itās been stellar so far on 27 and 27.01. š¤š¼
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u/MysteriousMorning343 iPhone 18 Pro Max Burgundy 9d ago
Same configuration. Now I have to test by calling people- I hate talking but Iāll be forced to test this now š
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u/Impressive_Talk8287 9d ago
Honestly, one think i have learned about apple is NEVER buy the first batch of the new launches. Every year there is some bull crap. Thats why im waiting till January to get mine.
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u/WillingLanguage 9d ago
I hate the new update. I went into the Apple Store this past weekend. I had them do a total reset because Ā my phone has been acting up since they did that big update with the Apple Intelligence a while back( which I completely turned off ) so after the downloadā¦I lost a lot of important things and everything that I set up completely changed.Ā
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u/Zestyclose-Rice6401 10d ago edited 10d ago
Yeah had same issue and I have no phone atm so bought a cheap android
edit: don't know why im getting downvoted I traded in my 17 pro max..
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u/Few-Ad-7241 10d ago
To clarify is this the 27.0.1 update that youāre referring to?
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u/AdInformal2790 10d ago
Yes
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u/Few-Ad-7241 10d ago
Thank you so much for posting. Mine was set to update tonight but Iāve cancelled it
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u/Ok_One6677 10d ago
Iām not sure if this helps but Iām currently running the 27.2 developer beta, my 18 pro max has been fine since I got it launch day
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u/GroovyJedi 10d ago
This is why Iām never upset at people who ask āis if safe to update?ā This is always a possibility and mileages may vary.
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u/Tiny-Ad3873 10d ago
Iād never buy that aluminum piece of crap. My 15 pm 512 gb is smooth as silk
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u/OkRelationship3254 10d ago
have the same issue on my m2 ipad air and ipad 10th gen and 14 pro after updating!
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u/Ablelawy2026 10d ago
A nice thing that UK donāt have Apple Card plus only the US and the other countries so they cannot really do express replacement Can they do it or not? Iām not sure.
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u/microChasm 10d ago
It would be interesting to know what wireless carrier you are using for service.
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u/whats_trending_610 10d ago
Iāve had gripes on my 17 pro. 27.0.1 fixed most of them except battery drain. I hope the next update or few updates fixes the battery drain.
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u/suitguy25 10d ago
The battery drain is the first time iOS has had such a noticeable impact on battery life when updating the os. Itās horrible, and I never notice this, so itās real bad
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u/whats_trending_610 10d ago
The difference is so drastic. Early versions of iOS 26 were buggy. They slowly went away as more updates rolled out, but no noticeable extra battery drain I could see. This is the first time Iāve seen a new os affect both the model itās designed for and older models this severely. Even my Apple Watch 11 drains faster!
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u/nadnab13 10d ago
I was so excited hearing that this update was going to just be to smooth out issues and chase bugs but it seems like itās been worse than 26.
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u/whats_trending_610 10d ago
Only thing I can hope for is improvements. But I think itās too early in 27ās cycle for improvements; least of all major ones.
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u/DeanCorp 10d ago
Luckily I didnāt have any issues. Having said that as a creature of habit I did do a DFU restore and update to the day 1 update before setting it up. Unsure if thatās had any assistance in minimising issues?
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u/Waffleskater8 10d ago
Gotta ask. With thr limited time you had with it, how does it compare to your 12? Currently thinking about finally upgrading from a 12 myself.
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u/Hungry-Pop8528 10d ago
I would just buy the base 17 or the Air. They both work great. Or buy a refurbished 16 Pro Max from Apple themselves.
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u/HOONIICORNN 10d ago
My iPhone 18 pro max got 2 massive white lines going down the screen after just 2 days of use. Never dropped it and the phone didnāt have one scratch. Took it to the Apple Store and they told me they couldnāt replace parts on these phones yet since they are soo new. They ordered me a new one and it took 1 week to arrive.
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u/Think_Ninja_3236 10d ago
Just imagine being a trillion dollar company and yet such petty issues, disappointing! I was planning on upgrading from my 17pm just for the color and now im like NO!
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u/WillingLanguage 9d ago
Theyāve had so many issues since they did that Apple Intelligence I see android in the future
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u/Georgeieyez 8d ago
Even my m2 tablet is freezing all the time now with the 27 update they introduced this multitasking stuff and I think itās messing everything up now
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u/ApogeeG 10d ago
Mine got bricked when I was restoring the phone from backup on my iMac . Called Apple and they have me hard reboot the phone and eventually restart and it worked . Only difference - the phone need to be unplugged from iMac when you do those steps . I was doing it with phone plugged . I had white screen with black Apple logo and it was stuck . Fortunately as soon as I unplugged from iMac and did the hard reboot it started to work and so far so good . Absolutely no issues whatsoever . Very impressed with the battery life . I use and use and use and still has 20/30% left at the end of the day late into night . Amazing screen and best iPhone Apple has ever made in my opinion.
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u/Wise_Banana4509 10d ago
Fudge dudeā¦ im about to upgrade to the 18p from the 12p and now after seeing so many people have difficulties from the new phone not sure if i should
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u/Unlucky_Aioli4006 9d ago
don't freak me out i have pre ordered 18 Pro Max 512gb since 14-sep , and i haven't received it yet , estimate time to receive is between 6th oct and 13th oct , i am in the uk too and pre ordered directly from apple
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u/Larry-30 9d ago
I have the 17 pro max and my hotspot drops constantly the VPN keeps turning itself on š¤¬
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u/CatComfortable5523 9d ago
you shouldāve tried a dfuā¦ probably wouldāve fixed no problem
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u/AdInformal2790 9d ago
if two people at apple can't restore it in two hours I don't think I could have
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u/VegetableMoney6783 8d ago
I got a replacement from the Apple Store. They said if the phone was used prior to 27.0.1 on att network it fries the cellular modem. If you got it a little later and updated to 27.0.1 before adding eSIM and using the phone the youāre in the clear and wonāt have issues. Itās just those that got the phone within a week or so of it coming out and used it prior to the update
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u/ItsMeKesh 8d ago
I got mine launch day, and on AT&T and using an eSIM with 0 issues. As someone whoās worked for AT&T, Iāve seen my fair share of Apple and AT&T employees making things up to de-escalate customer situations when they have no idea whatās going on
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u/VegetableMoney6783 8d ago
Yeah Iām not sure. Is it a pro max? Itās only the Qualcomm phones I believe. Also my phone worked fine from the 19th-27th and then crapped out randomly. Regardless Apple gave me a new phone on that justification alone with the device passing BIT
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u/ItsMeKesh 8d ago
Yeah, I have a burgundy 512 pro max right from BestBuy. My brother and I both have the same device(different colors of course), but no issues across either.
My best guess is devices are having issues provisioning onto the network via a firmware bug, or it could actually be a faulty modem..but itās just so sporadic it doesnt really make sense. In the past manufacturers have been able to pretty quickly narrow down the issue and who has an affected device..but weāll see
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u/BigTea528 6d ago
How long is it taking for everyone to get a replacement from the Apple Store? They sent in a request to repair (replace) mine last Wednesday and it still shows as āno status availableā. I didnāt receive a loaner phone like they mentioned. They originally said 3-5 days max. Now theyāre saying they have no idea. Iām also leaving to go out of town today and said Iād only have 5 or so days to pick it up. Go figure.
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u/Sg_Contrarian 6d ago
Where did your iphone get made?
There is a difference
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u/Wudu_Gang 5d ago
Mine was made in India, my wifeās pro max China. Iāve heard the Chinese ones are better.
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u/Hot-Needleworker-895 5d ago
Add two more to the list. My wifeās and mine both have been on 27.0.1 for days and then today both phones have stopped connecting to the network. Went to an ATT store and they refused to help and said the policy is to send us to the apple store. Now im waiting at my local apple store with two bricked phones. This is a bigger issue than a āa small amount of devicesā
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u/Major_Standard_8648 4d ago
Same thing happened to me first time restoring my backup. Luckily it hasnāt happened again
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u/Ablelawy2026 10d ago
Oh wow this is very crazy and serious. I donāt have my phone yet either. Iām in the US though. Iām waiting for my phone to come. It is supposed to come this month in October 20 thatās my window now but thatās crazy. Yeah recommendation wait a few months maybe two more months until December and maybe everything will get fixed
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u/KoncepTs iPhone 18 Pro 10d ago
Has to be something with the old Qualcomm modems since pro max uses those while Pros use new Apple C2 modems.
I have pro direct from apple on ATTās prepaid network and have only seen an uptick in service reliability, albeit minor
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u/floppywetfish 10d ago
All 18 pro and pro max models in the uk use the C2 modem. The Qualcomm ones are pro max in US only
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u/blueeyes8433 10d ago
Donāt you like have electronic stores you can buy one from in the UK?
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u/Inevitable_Art5796 10d ago
Most places in the us aināt got them either Iām still waiting for mine
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u/Interesting-Song-970 8d ago
My husbands 18pm kept shutting itself off and getting stuck on the apple logo or that white screen with options. Update did nothing, still did it. Went to the Apple store and they ordered a replacement no problem.
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u/Plastic-Fudge-395 10d ago
So viele Probleme bei den iPhone die es bei Samsung nicht gibt fƤllt euch das Nicht bin selber iPhone solle Nutzer jedes Jahr immer wieder Probleme Defekt usw
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u/dantethegreatest 10d ago
Samsung literally had phones catching on fire in the past. All manufacturers have had issues.
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u/Background_Regret_68 10d ago
Possibly because youāre on the iPhone user groups seeing as youāre one as well? I see issues people have on Reddit but strangely nowhere else. Iām not sure as to why that is. Iām on 15 Pro and have been since its launch. This yearās 18 lineup is underwhelming so Iām holding out for the XX next year. Just to add Iāve had no issues with my 15 Pro since I bought it.
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u/DatBoiDa 10d ago
ĀæNo los celulares de Samsung explotaban?
El 16 de agosto a un chico de la India le explotĆ³ el S26
En Corea del Sur explotĆ³ el S24 al estarlo usandoRealmente como los coches, todos tienen problemas y son una mierda que en cualquier momento van a fallar
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u/UnluckyPossible6156 10d ago
Is this 27.0.1?
I updated and everything seems fine so far, think I updated like a few days ago, hopefully it stays that way š¤.