'Panic Full' Issue Occurs on iPhone 18 Pro During Face ID Recognition, Causing Restarts

A 'Panic Full' phenomenon, where devices suddenly freeze or restart, is appearing among users using the iPhone 18 Pro model. According to a Techmong video, this problem specifically shows a pattern where system errors occur during the authentication process via Face ID.

System Restart Phenomenon Occurring Upon Face ID Authentication Failure

The presenter in the video stated that they experienced the device restarting three times within just two days of purchasing the iPhone 18 Pro. Upon checking the log files, it was confirmed that a record named 'Panic Full' remained at the bottom of the system. In particular, this phenomenon is characterized by appearing as an 'SEP panic' related to the SEP (Secure Enclave Processor), a dedicated security processor.

Looking at the specific circumstances of occurrence, the problem is prominent in environments where Face ID recognition is not smooth. For example, symptoms of the system freezing or restarting appear when attempting Face ID authentication while running financial apps (Hyundai Card, banking apps, etc.) in conditions where recognition is difficult, such as lying in a dark room or when part of the face is covered. To reproduce this, the presenter confirmed that similar symptoms occurred when intentionally attempting Face ID recognition failures multiple times. However, they did not feel these issues on the home lock screen, and it appeared that the problem mainly occurs while using apps.

Apple States "Aware of Situation," Hardware and Software Possibilities Coexist

As a result of checking regarding the symptoms through Apple Support, Apple stated that they are currently aware of the situation. As a result of the presenter receiving remote support through Apple Support's AI chatbot and a consultant, the consultant delivered a diagnosis that there was no problem with the hardware of the device in question. Accordingly, Apple is reported to have conveyed the position of asking to wait for a resolution through a software update.

Whether this problem is a software defect or a hardware design issue has not yet been clearly identified. In the video, it was suggested that because the position of the Face ID camera and sensors was partially adjusted due to the change in the size of the Dynamic Island in this model, a conflict with the software may have occurred during this process. Additionally, the possibility that tempered glass or protective films attached by the user could be the cause was also mentioned. While there is a high probability it will be resolved through a software update, similar to the cellular issue of the iPhone 17 Pro in the past, caution is needed against unconditional optimism, as there have been cases where Panic Full appeared in past logs and was determined to be an actual hardware problem, resulting in an exchange.

Differences in Occurrence per User and Concerns over Early Production Defects

This Panic Full issue does not appear identically to all iPhone 18 Pro users. The presenter mentioned that their employee, despite using the same product, did not experience the problem at all. This suggests that it could be an individual problem occurring in specific devices, or a problem occurring under specific conditions (such as Face ID recognition environments).

The presenter pointed out that there is a tendency for defects or malfunction issues to occur frequently in the early production items of major smartphones such as iPhone and Galaxy recently, and emphasized that this issue is acting as a defect that causes inconvenience in actual use beyond a simple error. At present, whether improvements will be made through Apple's software update is expected to be the key to solving the problem.