A visitor holds up the new iPhone 18 Pro Max models at the Apple Store in Myeongdong, central Seoul, on Sept. 18.YONHAP
Reports of sudden freezes, shutdowns and automatic reboots are mounting among users of Apple’s new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, just days after their release in Korea on Friday.
Multiple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max users in Korea and overseas have reported that their devices suddenly freeze or shut down before restarting on their own, according to industry sources and online communities on Tuesday.
The issue has been dubbed panic-full, a term that refers to cases in which an iPhone encounters a system error, stops responding or suddenly shuts down and then automatically reboots. When the error occurs, a panic-full entry appears in the device’s analytics logs.
Some users claim their phones froze or restarted during Face ID authentication.
Some users have reportedly asked Apple for replacements or refunds after experiencing the same problem multiple times.
Adding to consumer frustration is that the issue may be difficult to cover through mobile phone insurance.
Since the problem does not involve loss, theft or physical damage from an external impact, the glitch- induced refund or exchange is generally not covered by mobile phone insurance plans sold by Korean telecommunications carriers.
A post on Reddit about iPhone 18 Pro's "panic-full" glitch was uploaded on Sept. 20.SCREEN CAPTURE
This is not the first time users have reported sudden reboots shortly after the launch of a new iPhone.
Similar complaints emerged after the iPhone 16 series was released in 2024, and the problem was later improved through a software update.
Some users have therefore speculated that the latest reboot issue on the iPhone 18 Pro series may be linked to iOS 27, Apple’s newly released operating system, but no clear cause has been confirmed.
It remains unclear whether the problem stems from software or from a hardware defect involving a particular component.
Apple has not issued a separate official statement on the reported panic-full issue affecting the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
