The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have some issues that need to be talked about. This includes the face ID freeze bug and cellular problems on AT&T. Keep reading for more details.
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| credit: Apple |
First, a quick clarification: there is no standard iPhone 18 on store shelves right now, and there is no "iPhone 18 Plus" either. Apple split up this year's launch. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale September 18, 2026, while the regular iPhone 18 is not expected until around March 2027.
That means every one of the iPhone 18 problems owners are talking about right now comes from the Pro models, and there have been plenty. Multiple outlets are calling this Apple's most troubled launch in years. Here are the most prevalent issues, which ones are fixed, and what to do if your phone is affected.
The Face ID Freeze Bug (Fixed)
The most widely confirmed problem was a freeze-and-restart bug tied to Face ID. When a Face ID scan failed, particularly while opening Face ID-protected apps, some iPhone 18 Pro units would lock up completely, stop responding to touch, and force a restart.
The culprit appears to be the redesigned under-display Face ID system. Apple shrank the Dynamic Island and moved the infrared camera beneath the display, an engineering first for this generation, and the software handling failed scans had a bug that could wedge the whole phone.
The good news: Apple acknowledged the problem quickly and shipped a fix. The iOS 27.0.1 update, released September 28, specifically addressed restarts triggered by failed Face ID authentication. If you are still seeing this behavior, the first step is to check for the update in Settings, then General, then Software Update. Some owners who assumed their hardware was defective swapped phones at Apple Stores unnecessarily; for this bug, the software patch was the real fix.
The AT&T Cellular Problem (Ongoing and Serious)
The most alarming unresolved issue affects iPhone 18 Pro Max owners on AT&T. Affected phones cannot reliably make or receive calls, texts arrive extremely slowly, and the phone randomly drops service and falls into SOS mode, even while showing full bars of 5G.
This one escalated fast. AT&T sent text messages directly to customers warning that some phones "may be unable to complete calls/text/data, including to 911," and strongly advised updating to iOS 27.0.1 immediately. Apple itself has now acknowledged the issue.
Here is the troubling part: Apple's release notes for iOS 27.0.1 do not mention this problem, and many affected users report that installing the update does not fix it. The US version of the iPhone 18 Pro is reportedly the only model using a Qualcomm modem this generation, making the modem a prime suspect. If your Pro Max is dropping to SOS on AT&T, contact the carrier or Apple directly, since the software update alone may not resolve it.
Paint Fading and Camera Ring Discoloration
The most visible complaint is cosmetic but hard to ignore on a $1,199 phone. Owners report that the finish is fading or peeling, especially on burgundy models, and a lighter, pinkish ring is appearing around the rear camera lenses.
The discoloration reports started on Reddit and spread quickly. Burgundy and Black models show the ring around the camera housing; Silver and Glacier owners have not reported it so far. The marks do not wipe off, and at least one owner noted that Apple Store display units show the same ring, suggesting it is not limited to a bad batch.
Apple has not commented publicly on the finish problems. Some owners say Apple offered replacements when they asked, while others have returned their phones for refunds. The likely culprit is the colored coating on the phone's aluminum body; the iPhone 18 Pro uses the same aluminum alloy as the iPhone 17 Pro, which had similar chipping and fading complaints. If your phone's finish is degrading within weeks, document it with photos and contact Apple support, since other owners have already received replacements.
Speaker Crackling and Other Early Reports
A smaller but persistent group of owners reports a strange crackling sound from the speaker. What makes this one notable is that some customers who exchanged their phones found the same crackling on the replacement units, which points away from a one-off defect.
Other scattered reports include green or pink lines appearing on the display, though the legitimacy of those reports has been questioned, and a touchscreen freeze triggered by opening Notification Center and Control Center together. That last one was also fixed in iOS 27.0.1, and it affected other iPhone models too, which suggests a broader iOS 27 software issue rather than iPhone 18 Pro hardware.
What To Do If Your iPhone 18 Pro Has These Problems
If you own one of the new Pro models, here is the practical checklist. First, install iOS 27.0.1 if you have not already; it resolves the Face ID freezes and the Notification Center touchscreen lockup. Second, if you are on AT&T and your Pro Max is dropping calls or showing SOS, do not assume the update fixed it, contact AT&T or Apple, since this issue appears to need more than a software patch.
Third, for paint fading or the camera ring discoloration, photograph the problem and reach out to Apple support sooner rather than later. Owners are getting replacements and refunds, but inventory has been tight, with some buyers told to wait until mid-October. And if you are still deciding whether to buy, it may be worth waiting to see whether Apple publicly addresses the finish issues before spending four figures on a phone that could fade within weeks.
Early-adopter glitches are normal for any new smartphone issues cycle, and most get ironed out within a month or two. But between an acknowledged cellular defect, a cosmetic problem Apple will not discuss, and a launch some outlets are calling the most problematic in years, the iPhone 18 Pro generation is off to a rockier start than Apple would like.
