Apple Recalling Verizon iPad 2 Orders in Transit? [Updated]

ipad 2 wifi 3g signal
Yesterday, we began to hear word that Apple had intercepted certain iPad 2 orders while in transit, with FedEx tracking having shown the orders nearly reaching their destination before being updated with a "package returned to shipper notice". 9 to 5 Mac received similar information and discovered that the issue is affecting quite a few orders, although seemingly limited to Verizon models.

According to one Apple retail store employee, the company's stores have also been provided with a list of serial numbers of Verizon iPads that are to be pulled from inventory and returned to Apple, suggesting that the issue is not in fact limited to engraved units.

Apple has given all the stores a list of serial numbers to scan, if it's a match we were told to set aside and ship back to Apple, these are only for Verizon ipads. This was to be done on Monday and continue to scan all shipments thru June 11. I had over one hundred to send back.

Based on updated information, it appears that the issue may be a malfunction causing Verizon iPad 2s that have had cellular service activated to be unable to bring up account information for viewing and editing.

Customers calling FedEx and Apple to inquire about their order statuses are apparently being given conflicting information, although the overall picture does seem to be that Apple has pulled the order mid-shipment and is sending out replacements. The reason for the withdrawal of Verizon iPad 2 units is unknown at this time, although it seems reasonable to speculate that Apple has identified a bad batch of units containing some sort of defect.

Some affected customers have reported requesting and receiving credits or free accessories from Apple as compensation for the delays in receiving orders due to the issue, although it is unclear whether this is a specific company policy in place regarding the issue or simply customer service representatives acting at their own discretion within general policy guidelines.

Update: An Apple Store employee has informed us that the issue stems from Verizon having accidentally duplicated Mobile Equipment Identifiers (MEIDs), issuing on the bad batch MEIDs that had been previously used on other Verizon iPads. When users with iPads carrying duplicate MEIDs attempt to set up cellular data accounts, the system sees their devices as having already been set up.

Related Roundup: iPad
Tag: Verizon
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple Will Reportedly Be More Cautious About Announcing New Features Well in Advance

Sunday May 18, 2025 2:50 pm PDT by
Apple plans to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. The pair of reporters revealed this noteworthy tidbit towards the bottom of a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today. This alleged change in strategy comes after Apple was forced to delay its more...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Report: Apple's Next-Gen Version of Siri Is 'On Par' With ChatGPT

Monday May 19, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report. Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn Siri into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of Siri has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent...

Top Rated Comments

Themaeds Avatar
182 months ago
Did they ride along the delivery trucks on horses with masks on? Wild west style?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Small White Car Avatar
182 months ago

Some affected customers have reported requesting and receiving credits or free accessories from Apple as compensation for the delays in receiving orders due to the issue,

Here's a deal for you: Wait for a new one or we can give you the broken one today.

Go ahead, it's your choice!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lilo777 Avatar
182 months ago
Just proof yet again that AT&T is still superior! ;)
Nope. Just a proof that Apple has no experience in releasing more than one model of anything.


Verizon has done nothing but embarrass Apple. First, they crippled the iPhone (no data/voice multitasking) and now they cause a huge financial and customer satisfaction mess with this iPad screw-up.
Being ridiculous, aren't you? Apple knew all well that by design CDMA does not allow for concurrent voice/data transmission and yet they begged Verizon to accept iPhone (after Droids started killing it). I hope it was sarcasm.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lilo777 Avatar
182 months ago
Your post shows that you have no reading comprehension skills to speak of. This is not on Apple but rather a screw up at Foxconn where they reused CDMA network identifiers in a batch which had previously already been used.

With this logic Apple will never be at fault because they produce absolutely nothing by themselves nowadays.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kdarling Avatar
182 months ago
The issue is that a few Verizon iPads have been given the same meim number, so as a preventive measure all iPads are being scanned. It's no big deal so stop stressing.

The issue is that when trying to activate you cant because the number has already been used. And as there is no sim card to switch out only option is new unit.

Another SIM wouldn't help even if it was a GSM model. A SIM contains just network customer info, something that's programmed remotely with CDMA.

The problem is with the mobile identity code burned into the radio chip. Whether it's GSM or CDMA, duplicates will cause trouble.

Edit: oops. I see Nermal already pointed this out.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chupa Chupa Avatar
182 months ago
There are more VZW ipads sitting in the local stores around me that a recall would not effect them.

In the local Target's and Walmarts, there clogging the shelves cause no one wants them . Everyone's waiting for LTE from Verizon in this area.


AT&T dominates

It doesn't seem to me that the VZW version is undesirable b/c of lack of LTE as the ATT is 3G too. However, what was a turn off for me with the VZW version is that the 3G service is limited to the the U.S. where as I can take my ATT version almost anywhere in the world, buy a relatively inexpensive prepaid SIM card on arrival and have data at my beck and call.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)