Trading in your old Apple device is a good way to score a discount on the latest iPhones and Macs, and it’s usually a pretty seamless process if you go direct to Apple. But people who have done exactly that have been getting weird messages from Apple saying that their trade in has been canceled, often many months after they’ve actually gotten rid of their old tech.
Over the last couple of days, numerous posts have appeared online from people who have previously traded in Apple devices. According to AppleInsider, people have been receiving an official email from Apple claiming that “because we didn’t receive your device within the required time frame, your trade in has been canceled. If you’ve already sent your device to our trade-in partner, it will be shipped back to you.”
Receiving a message like this might not be unusual in and of itself, as Apple can cancel a trade in if the device has not been received within 14 days. But in most of the recent cases, devices were sent in months ago, with the trade-in process already being successfully completed.
As it turns out, the messages were sent in error. AppleInsider says that “Apple has confirmed that this is some kind of system error, and no action by the consumer is necessary.” If you’ve received one of these messages, then, there’s no need to worry.
A weird glitch
Apple is not known for giving particularly generous valuations of old tech that you want to trade in (although it does occasionally raise its prices), so it’s often a good idea to look at third-party recyclers, as they might offer you a better price.
However, the main attraction of going to Apple is convenience, as you can trade in your old device and get a discount towards a new one in a single transaction. If you go elsewhere, you must sell your device to one company, then go to Apple and pay full price for your new product, which can be a hassle.
Errors like the ones seen recently are quite unusual, and the fact that they have happened to so many people is a strong indication that there was some sort of problem in Apple’s backend system.
With Apple aware of the issue, we doubt it will continue for long. That means trading in your old device at Apple is still a decent idea, especially if you want to get some money off a new iPhone. We’ve got a guide on trading in your old phone to help you get the best deal possible, so check that out if you’re thinking of clearing out your old tech.