Refurbished (from English "refurbished" or "refurbished") means "like new", but assembled from used components that are in perfect condition. Defective iPhones or MacBooks are not scrapped; they are remanufactured at Foxconn factories.
Every detail is carefully checked there, problematic ones are replaced with new ones. Ref iPhone is equipped with a new case, battery and accessories. They are repackaged and returned for sale at a discount. This type of renewal is called Manufacturer Refurbishing.
Apple is absolutely confident in the reliability and quality of refurbished gadgets. Therefore, it provides additional insurance "Apple Care Protection Plan", as for new gadgets. But there is another type of ref - Seller Refurbishing. Large companies and online stores are engaged in it, as well as dodgers - lovers of easy money. Often they offer to change, for example, your old iPhone for a new one, with a penny surcharge or without it at all. So you should be on the lookout for refurbished iPhones and laptops. With their appearance, cases of fraud have increased in Ukraine, where used gadgets are issued as refurbished ones.
How to recognize a refurbished iPhone
In order not to fall for the bait of businessmen - buy Refurbished devices in large stores with a good reputation. If, in pursuit of the lowest price, you risk making a purchase in an unfamiliar online store, use at least our instructions on detecting fraud.
Take a look at the box
The packaging of the refurbished phone is marked with the “Apple Certified Pre-Owned” text in a frame. It's at the bottom of the box.
Check Model Number
On the back of the box is the model number of the device:
- for new devices, they start with the letter M,
- the restored ones have the first letter F, and after the number separated by a space - the letters RFB.
Compare Model Number
Sometimes used phones are packed in boxes from refurbished ones. So compare the model number on the box with the one on the iPhone itself. Your actions:
- Settings → General → About this device → Model.
Check if the device was activated before you
- Go to the Apple Support site.
- Enter your model serial number.
- Look at the expiration date of the warranty - exactly one year from the date of purchase.
Take a closer look at the speakers and display
The mesh may have large holes. And the color rendition of the screen is colder and dimmer. Feel free to check these parameters with the seller or courier. It is your right.
Is Refurbished worth buying?
Refurbished is a good option to buy a model that Apple has already discontinued, and even cheaper. But this technique has a downside that you need to know about - it is impossible to find out the history of the gadget.
Yes, you will be aware that the "filling" of your smartphone is made of assembled components. But you will not know why the gadget returned to the manufacturer. Perhaps the former owner did not like the color or size, or maybe the phone got a good touch on the asphalt. The consequences of such a blow are not immediately detected, the smartphone may fail when the warranty period expires.
So the savings are always comparable to the risk, albeit small. Are you ready to try your luck? Buy a refurbished iPhone or MacBook. Afraid to go all-in? Then it's better to pay extra.
Study the reviews of refurbished iPhones to form a specific decision for yourself. We have collected the most remarkable in our opinion - both positive and negative.
Kolisnichenko Alexander, about the iPhone 8 Plus: "I have been using it for a month, everything works, it is assembled perfectly. If I didn’t know that it was restored, I couldn’t distinguish it from the new one. The battery is new - it showed 1 cycle through the program, it doesn't vibrate, the speakers don't wheeze, Touch ID works. New box, headphones, charging».
Radchenko Vitaly, about the iPhone 8: "Was going from the devil knows what details. When I unpacked it, I saw scratches on the screen. The display gives out different shades of gray when typing, something is clearly wrong with it».
Nataliya, about the iPhone X: "I already bought the second restored iPhone, there was also a new one, there is something to compare with. I don't see the difference between new and restored ones. There is no point in overpaying».
Dmitry Sukhno, about the iPhone X: "Honestly, when I saw this phone, I didn't even think that it was already in someone's hands! It looks just super: in a new box, with new headphones, even a new charger! There are no complaints about the iPhone itself! Works flawlessly».
Useful article: "How to connect iPhone to computer"
Watch the video from China to understand the reason why the price of refurbished iPhones varies
