Buying a new phone can sometimes be a big hassle. You have a variety of things to consider: different generations, prices, colors, sizes, whether you want a new or used phone, you might have even come across the term ‘refurbished’. Don’t you know what refurbished means? No worries, we are here to explain what a refurbished iPhone is.
What does refurbished iPhone mean? A refurbished iPhone is one that has been used previously, but it has been sent back due to a fault or no longer wanted, it is then evaluated and repaired to deem it ‘like new’, the phone is then resold as refurbished.
If you purchase a refurbished iPhone, it should perform precisely how you would expect a brand new, full-price iPhone to do so, explains Cellect Mobile, experts who sell refurbished iPhones. It should be as if it is a fresh new iPhone out of the factory. As Pocket-lint.com has explained, the refurbished iPhone that you are looking at/buying will be rigorously checked to make sure it is working correctly.
Why are iPhones refurbished?
Refurbished iPhones are usually refurbished because they have either been returned or sold due to a fault, sometimes it might be just because they no longer require the phone. If it is due to a fault, the iPhone will be repaired and tested. They do this to guarantee that all parts of the phone should work as they’re meant to when sold on.
What tests are done on a refurbished iPhone?
Some of the tests done on the iPhone consist of: whether the battery charges, checking the buttons and cameras work. Some other things will include audio quality, the responsiveness of the screen, and whether the phone connects to Wi-Fi, 3G/4G, and the network.
What are the benefits of a refurbished iPhone?
It is cheaper
The best benefit that you will come across when looking at purchasing a refurbished iPhone is the price. It is noticeable that refurbished iPhones are significantly cheaper than brand new iPhones and let’s be real; there isn’t much difference between new and refurbished so you could be grabbing yourself a sweet bargain. Sure it might have a couple of scratches, but it will perform the same and practically look new.
It’s basically ‘like new’
Don’t forget a refurbished iPhone doesn’t mean brand new, it has been used, but it’s going to be in the best possible condition with rigorous work having been done to ensure that it is factory perfect.
Not network locked
Unfortunately, when it comes to buying a used phone, it may be locked to a particular network. This means that unless you unlock it yourself, your sim might not work, or when you come around to selling it on, you may not be able to get as much money for it as you would if it was unlocked.
Thankfully, when you buy a refurbished iPhone, it is very likely that the phone has been unlocked so that it can work with any network.
What is the disadvantage of buying a refurbished iPhone?
Defects
Techwalla.com expresses how, when purchasing a refurbished iPhone, one of the cons is the physical defect. For example, this could be scratches, cracked glass, or damage to the camera. These are things that you will need to be aware of when looking into purchasing a refurbished phone.
What’s the difference between a new, used, and refurbished iPhone?
New iPhone
A new iPhone is completely new, never been used before, fresh from the factory, with all the accessories that it is sold with such as charger and headphones. This means that all parts will be working, with no scratches, completely perfect. But the downfall is the price; a new iPhone will be significantly more expensive.
Used iPhone
A used iPhone can have faults, unlike a refurbished phone. For example, the battery might run out of charge much quicker, which is a fault and wouldn’t happen if you were to buy a refurbished phone. Used phones don’t go through the same in-depth tests that a refurbished phone will.
Refurbished iPhone
As we have explained, a refurbished iPhone has been used, they’ve been returned due to a fault or change of mind, but they are assessed and repaired if necessary to ensure it is working exactly as a new iPhone would.
What Does Refurbished iPhone mean?
So, you should now know what a refurbished iPhone means, what the benefits of having a refurbished iPhone is, and the difference of it in comparison to a new and used iPhone.
A refurbished iPhone is as if you are purchasing a brand new phone, the only difference is that it isn’t brand new and you may find one or two tiny scratches but who cares when you’re buying it at a bargain price? I know I wouldn’t care.