What is a refurbished iPhone and what is it eaten with?

The more popular the iPhone became in the east european market, the more home appliance stores actively sold something called a "refurbished iPhone". The prices for these smartphones were usually lower than for conventional models, so the question immediately lit up in my head "what's the catch and from what everyday injuries it was restored"?

To better understand the essence of the issue, you need to side with Apple and look at the situation through the eyes of the company's management. The fact is that every year a lot of iPhones are returned to the company's stores in a very different condition. Some people change a perfectly working "tube" to a newer one according to the replacement programme. Others return the iPhone under warranty, getting a new device in their hands. As a result, a bunch of smartphones in a very different condition are going to be collected in the company's service centers, which are a pity to throw away and cannot be sold.

As a result, someone thought of assembling new phones from their spare parts. They took a battery from one, a display from the second, and a motherboard with the rest of the hardware from the third. Then mix it all, but do not shake it, check for performance and voila, you can sell again.

Is it worth buying a refurbished iPhone?

And why not? The smartphones returned by the buyers are sent back to the Foxconn factory, where it is brought back to life. Usually, repairs there are complex and conscientious: if the display is out of order, then it is changed along with the loop and sensor, and faulty chips are replaced with new chips. Be sure to change the case so that the restored model is no different from the new ones. After that, the label "Manufacturer refurbished" is glued to it, a one-year warranty is given, and the gadgets themselves are sent back to store shelves with a small markdown. On average, it is 15% cheaper than a new device.

In general, the risk of running into a marriage here is minimal, because the company values its reputation. Plus, it is not profitable for her to spend additional funds on the maintenance of unnecessary service centers that will be engaged in repairing refurbished smartphones. It's easier to do everything right and wait for the buyer in a couple of years when he returns for a more modern model. Therefore, numerous reviews on the web say with one voice that iPhones returned from the other world are no worse than new ones.

Apple Smartphones

What's the catch?

And the fact is that the seller himself can restore the smartphone that was killed for some reason. Such tubes are usually labeled as "Seller refurbishing", and they appear thanks to the shares of large retail chains and smaller stores that change a new device in exchange for an old one with a surcharge. The meaning of such actions is clear: to make extra money on used iPhones and it is more profitable to sell new iPhone models. Unlike Apple, the store risks its reputation to a lesser extent, so the quality of phone recovery is regulated solely by the seller's conscience.

Even worse, if the iPhone was restored by a homegrown Kulibin from what came to hand. Formally, he also belongs to the restored subspecies, but this is pure Frankenstein, which is better to bypass the tenth road. The network is full of stories about how an even older Nokia battery was attached to an old iPhone, which was just enough to turn on once and show that everything seems to be in order. Or about iPhones with Chinese never retina displays. Or about the exchange of bodies, when the hardware of the broken "seven" was stuffed into the case of the conditional iPhone Xr.

However, sometimes the game is worth the candle. Especially if the seller is trustworthy, and the discount is too good to pass by. In this case, the phone inspection will have to be approached with triple seriousness.

How do I check if the iPhone is restored before buying?

There is absolutely no quick and painless way to understand whether the iPhone has been repaired /restored. It is easier to do this with officially restored smartphones, with unofficial ones it is more difficult. However, according to the combination of factors, it is much easier to determine such a smartphone.

External condition

The iPhone, which was resurrected at the Apple factory, is always packed in a new case. Accessories must also be in perfect condition and packed in protective films. The iPhones restored by the seller do not have a single set of rules. The case, if it is in excellent condition, can leave the old one.

Box

If we talk about Apple, it packs the restored tubes into slightly different boxes, which differ in design and factory film: the film is tougher, and only the name of the model is written on the lid. However, if there is no original box at hand, then such a box from a restored iPhone can unknowingly be confused with a new one. But at the bottom of the back cover, the Apple Certified Pre-owned label is necessarily emblazoned, so that the seller does not try to sell it under the guise of a new one. There's no mistaking it. But this is Apple.


Model Number

Usually, the serial number and IMEI do not say anything about whether the smartphone has been repaired. But the model number (Part number) on the back of the box for such devices begins with the letter F. While the new ones have the letter M at the beginning.

Checking IMEI

Then you definitely need to check the compliance of the serial number on the official Apple website. This will help to avoid a common problem when the insides of an older model were transplanted into the body of a new iPhone.

To check in the iPhone itself, you need to open the settings and select "Basic". Then go to the "About device" menu where the serial number will be placed in the most prominent place. Copy it and go to the site https://checkcoverage.apple.com/ru/ru /.

In a couple of seconds, the search engine will give you all the necessary data on our device: serial number, model, date of purchase and warranty period. If all the data on the website, in the iPhone itself and on the box match, then great. If not, then this is a reason to think. The most common option is when the official website finds our serial number, but indicates a different iPhone model. In 99% of cases, this indicates that another smartphone is hiding inside the case.

Efficiency

If you have special confidence in the seller, then before buying it is worth checking everything else: the state of the screen (response to touch, "broken" pixels, colour rendering and viewing angles), the operation of physical or touch buttons, camera, speaker, wireless modules, power outlets, the operation of the SIM card tray and battery.

Conclusion

As you can see, the restored restored discord and if you know how the official "Manufacturer refurbished" iPhone differs from the restored one by the seller. Therefore, we advise you to look for a new iPhone only from trusted sellers with a good reputation.