[EagleFox007]

How to Identify if iPhone is Refurbished, Replacement, Personalized, or New

Good article!

[Just_Me_D]

I thought there was a time not long ago where you were no longer able to identity a refurbished iPhone.

[bakron1]

How to Identify if iPhone is Refurbished, Replacement, Personalized, or New

Good article!

Thanks for the article, never knew how to identify one. You learn something every day.

[EagleFox007]

Thanks for the article, never knew how to identify one. You learn something every day.

You’re welcome! I never knew it too until now.

[eyecrispy]

Whoa. Did not know that. Thanks!

[MaxSmarties]

I thought there was a time not long ago where you were no longer able to identity a refurbished iPhone.

Mmmh... I don’t remember. The first refurbished iPhone I received was an iPhone 4 (home button dead after 13 months) and the serial number was different from production’s.

[wilber1]

Great information thanks for the article .

[Just_Me_D]

Mmmh... I don’t remember. The first refurbished iPhone I received was an iPhone 4 (home button dead after 13 months) and the serial number was different from production’s.

There rumblings a few years back that Apple had changed its serial numbers somehow, but I will have to search the web for it. I did find a thread from a few years back where an inability to recognize a refurbished iPhone was discussed.

https://forums.imore.com/ask-questio...ished-new.html

I’m en route to the office now so I probably won’t be back in the forums until later this evening. Anyway, take care and have a great day...

[nikkisharif]

Good to know...Thanks for sharing this with us!!!

[Sherry_B]

Someone in the comments claims to work for Apple, and said that the article is not accurate.

[Garz]

Someone in the comments claims to work for Apple, and said that the article is not accurate.

Well we just need somebody who has a replacement iPhone to confirm if there is truth to the article. Unfortunately I have several iPhones in my house and none are replacements.

[EagleFox007]

Someone in the comments claims to work for Apple, and said that the article is not accurate.

I was going to say can you quote that person but I saw it inside the article that someone claims to be an Apple employee. Anyone can claim to be an Apple employee so we don’t know for sure unless someone here have a refurbished phone or had a replacement so we can confirm it.

[Sherry_B]

Anyone can claim to be an Apple employee so we don’t know for sure

That's why I said "claims to be" instead of "he/she is".


Hopefully someone with a refurb will chime in. I tend to take these types of articles with a grain of salt when there's no official links to back anything up. At the moment all I can find online are anecdotal statements.

[MaxSmarties]

Fortunately none of my current iPhone are refurbished ( 8+, 6S, SE and 5S), so I can’t check it. In the past it was correct, at least in my case.

[GadgetMomma]

I have a replacement phone (dropped and shattered my screen the week after I got it). I replaced it through Assurion and my number starts with an M

[mogelijk]

I have a replacement phone (dropped and shattered my screen the week after I got it). I replaced it through Assurion and my number starts with an M

If you got your phone close to the release date, chances are they had no refurbished phones in the pipeline yet, and all the replacement phones were also new phones. I think it takes a month, or maybe a bit more, before they have the returned phones refurbished and available to be used as replacements.

[linsiris]

Wow, I had no clue...good to know! thank you for sharing!

[Garz]

I have a replacement phone (dropped and shattered my screen the week after I got it). I replaced it through Assurion and my number starts with an M

Did it come in a retail box or other packaging? That would really tell us a lot.

[GadgetMomma]

If you got your phone close to the release date, chances are they had no refurbished phones in the pipeline yet, and all the replacement phones were also new phones. I think it takes a month, or maybe a bit more, before they have the returned phones refurbished and available to be used as replacements.

I got mine right before Christmas, so I was honesty expecting a refurb. I honestly don’t feel like mine is though.

[GadgetMomma]

Did it come in a retail box or other packaging? That would really tell us a lot.

Good point! I didn’t even think of that. It came in a box just like I got at the store - same apple packaging, new charger and headphones, etc - just like I got at AT&T

[Garz]

Good point! I didn’t even think of that. It came in a box just like I got at the store - same apple packaging, new charger and headphones, etc - just like I got at AT&T

Ok. So it was a brand new retail unit then. So this wouldn’t answer our question about the lettering. But thanks for trying to help though.

[EagleFox007]

Good point! I didn’t even think of that. It came in a box just like I got at the store - same apple packaging, new charger and headphones, etc - just like I got at AT&T

Then you got the brand new one. I had a replacement in the past and saw the guy took out the replacement phone in a small generic box not the original one and just handed me the phone without the box.

[ZOFOURTWENTY]

I’m curious for someone with a replacement or even an engraved iPhone would chime in. I have an engraved iPod mini 4th Generation but that’s about it

[MizWylie]

Good find! I'm going through replacement right now so I'll keep you guys posted!

[Ledsteplin]

The article didn't mention if the device were purchased at an approved retailer like Verizon. I assume those start with the "M" as well.