Apple Mistakenly Tells Customers Their iPhone Trade-Ins Are 'Canceled' [Updated]

Apple today sent an email to some iPhone Upgrade Program members to inform them that their previously-completed iPhone trade-in has been "canceled," but the email was almost certainly sent in error based on the circumstances.

Apple told customers it never received their iPhone, even though they sent it in months ago. In many cases, the customers physically handed their iPhones to an Apple Store employee in person, so there is no possible way they could be at fault.

"Because you didn't trade in your iPhone, we are unable to complete the trade-in process," the email says, according to a screenshot shared with us by reader Quinn Everett. "The associated loan on this iPhone will resume."

Everett and others said the Apple Store app also shows their iPhone's trade-in status has changed to "canceled," suggesting that Apple's email is legitimate. The email has been widely shared across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and X, with many customers receiving it in the early hours of Thursday morning in the United States.

Many customers who received the email completed their iPhone trade-in last September, when the iPhone 15 series launched, so the delayed timing of the email suggests that it was sent as a result of a system glitch. Apple did not immediately respond to our request for comment, but we will update this story if we receive an explanation.

Update — 10:35 a.m. Pacific Time: We have confirmed that this email was sent erroneously and that customers who received it do not need to take any action.

Update — 11:51 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has now sent a follow-up email to affected customers that says to "please disregard the previous email we sent."