Customers receiving an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max on launch day will need to install an iOS 27 software update as part of setting up their new device.
The new models are shipping with earlier builds of iOS 27, while the public launch version is build 24A437. MacRumors reports that iPhone 18 Pro units have been found running builds 24A427 or 24A8428, meaning an update will be offered before customers are fully up and running.
The update is not an indication that anything is wrong with a new iPhone. Apple has to begin manufacturing and packaging devices well before they reach customers, so the software installed at the factory can predate the final version released publicly.
Apple released iOS 27 earlier this week, bringing Siri AI and a range of new Apple Intelligence features alongside broader changes across the operating system. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are the first new iPhones to ship following the update’s release.
The day-one update will also apply to customers setting up a new Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4, according to the report, with those devices similarly requiring their latest watchOS software during setup.
The first iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders have already begun shipping ahead of Friday’s launch, with devices moving through distribution networks before deliveries begin.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max officially launch Friday, September 18. Customers collecting a device in store or receiving a preorder at home should therefore allow a little extra time for the software update when transferring data and completing setup.
