Refurbished iPhone. How to distinguish?

— “Was your phone previously repaired?”

- “No, I’m the first owner. The phone was bought new, I personally opened the box!”

- “I have to disappoint you - your iPhone has already been repaired...”

A dialogue of similar content between iFix service center technicians and clients can be heard almost every day.

Today we want to talk about one of the most controversial topics for customers on the Ukrainian market of Apple equipment – ​​“refurbished iPhone” or restored iPhones.

First, you need to clearly define and divide all refurbished iPhones into two types: manufacturer refurbishing (or factory refurbishing) and seller refurbishing.

“ Factory refurbishing” – these are devices that, due to the discovery of a defect or for another reason, were returned to the manufacturer and went through a full cycle of testing, replacement of necessary components and reassembly. The beauty is that the client does not wait for all this to happen, but immediately receives a new gadget of a similar model. The old device, after the entire factory “refresh” process, is no different in functionality and appearance from a completely new one and goes on sale again. The idea is excellent - the history of these gadgets is honestly reported in official and authorized stores, these devices are assembled in exactly the same way, all spare parts are original, everything is double-checked, which further eliminates the possibility of detecting defects. And besides, the price of these devices is much lower.

“ Seller refurbishing” – this term can be used to describe used devices that are repaired (if necessary) and restored in private workshops that are not affiliated with Apple. In practice it looks like this - with a used one. phone (we suggest looking at this process using the iPhone as an example, since these are the gadgets that most often become objects of restoration), the working motherboard is removed (it is difficult to say what kind of testing process it goes through) and assembled into a new case with a new display module. The result is a visually new phone.

For most users, the difference between devices restored by these two methods may not be noticeable, but it still exists. It can't help but be frustrating that many buyers, who expect impeccable quality and reliability from the iPhone, end up owning an unofficially refurbished iPhone and end up drawing erroneous conclusions about the gadgets produced by Apple.

We do not encourage you to stop using “ Seller refurbishing” , since these devices often work no worse, although they are less practical, they are cheaper. For those who want to learn how to distinguish a new or used phone, but a factory-assembled one, we have prepared some practical tips.

And so, how to distinguish a new iPhone from a refurbished one:

1. Package. Sometimes an experienced Apple user only needs to look at the box to understand exactly what device is inside. Be sure to pay attention to the quality of the box! The cardboard should have a pleasant matte finish, the joints should be smooth, the print should be clear and of high quality. It is also worth carefully studying the contents of the stickers on the back of the box. For example, the packaging of “Factory refurbishing” devices must have a corresponding mark. Don't forget to compare imei, memory capacity and other characteristics on the packaging and in the device itself. Well, if you don’t quite understand what the original packaging should look like, borrow one from a friend and just compare.
2. Equipment. Any Apple device, no matter whether it’s new or “Factory refurbishing”, is always equipped with only new and only original accessories. Please clarify what specific equipment should be included in your type of device.
3. Device Information. Enter the imei or serial number of your device on a specialized resource, for example http://iphoneimei.info/.

You will receive information about the model, color, date of first activation and other characteristics of the gadget. Compare with what you buy.

1. Attention to detail. Now let's move directly to the device itself. Let's look at the little things you need to pay attention to using the iPhone as an example, although many of these examples apply to other types of devices. Pay attention to the bolts on the sides of the charge-sync connector - they should be new, not “licked”, and not protrude from the case. Look closely at the cameras - the center of the camera lens should exactly match the center of the glass window in the housing or screen. The metal volume and power buttons, as well as the SIM tray, must match the color of the case. Another sign of a refurbished iPhone is the bezel of the lightning connector protruding from the case.

If you get, for example, an iPhone 5, pay also attention to the glass glued into the case on the back side - they should have an oleophobic coating, and also should not protrude from the case or, on the contrary, be sunken. Touch the “Home” button – it should not be recessed into the glass along the edge (does not apply to used devices, since wear of the membrane and the button sinking over time is normal).

When buying an iPhone 6, you should pay special attention to the screen - it should not have any play or click when pressed hard, and the plastic frame around the perimeter of the glass should smoothly transition into the body along the edge.

We wish you happy shopping!