T-Mobile and Verizon discontinue iPad rebate program that caused customer headaches

T-Mobile and Verizon have seemingly discontinued an iPad rebate program they offered in partnership with Apple. In a change spotted by MacRumors, the companys website no longer lists a promotion that previously allowed customers to save up to $200 by activating a cellular iPad through either of the two carriers.

The program and similar ones Apple offered for iPhone and Apple Watch purchases was the subject of a story Bloombergs Mark Gurman published in December. The article recounts the lengthy process he had to follow to claim a $100 rebate on an Apple Watch 7. His initial request was denied by T-Mobile, and it was only after multiple hourlong phones calls and an eventual escalation that the problem was resolved.

While my difficulties were with T-Mobile, Verizon users have been reporting similar problems, particularly around iPad rebates, Gurman wrote at the time. In fact, youll find several people recounting their own frustrations with the program in his Twitter mentions. In short, it seems T-Mobile and Verizon were denying some rebate requests without providing much of an explanation for their actions. The terms of the promotion were also presented in a way that made them seem much simpler than they were in practice.

However, its not clear if those complaints were what prompted Apple, T-Mobile and Verizon to discontinue the program. Weve reached out to all three companies for comment. We'll update this article when we hear back from them.