Everyone loves Apple products. But, not all can afford it. Even a couple of people who have iPhone today at one time were the trying ones to own an iPhone sometime. Leaving a couple of lucky ones aside!
But, circumstances have changed now and purchasing an iPhone too has turned out to be simple. You would now be able to buying a refurbished iPhone on credit, on EMI or a refurbished one. A refurbished iPhone is a utilized one, but because it says utilized, it doesn’t imply that these will be in a bad condition.
A lot of people utilize iPhones with a lot of care that except for the few wear and tear harms, you will never find any damage on their gadgets. But, if you want to purchase a utilized iPhone, there are a couple of things you should remember. Here is a list to get you started:
Make sure the iPhone is original and not fake:
There are a lot of phony iPhones available in the market. These iPhones regularly do not have a valid serial number, an IMEI number or may have errors with the capacity. So before paying for the refurbished iPhone make sure to confirm its serial number from the dealer and check it at the official website of Apple.
If the online check reports the iPhone model and the expected termination of warranty, the iPhone is the real one. When you have iPhone in your hand you can connect Apple store and try to download one free application from Apple store. If the iPhone is original, then you will have the capacity to download and run applications from the iTunes Store.
Check IMEI number and serial number of the iPhone:
Ask the retailer for or check yourself the IMEI number and the serial number of the iPhone you are planning to purchase. Checking everything by yourself isn’t a big deal, you simply need to follow the below instructions:
- iPhone Serial Number: Go to Settings > General > About Device > Serial Number
- iPhone Model: Go to Settings > General > About Device > Model
- iPhone IMEI Number: Go to Settings > General > About Device > IMEI
With the iPhone in your hand, you can also check the Phone memory and Available free space.
Make sure the iPhone is career unlocked:
Refurbished iPhones are available in two forms: The locked and the unlocked version. There are a few choices to check if the phone is career unlocked or not.
i) Contact Original iPhone Service Provider:
This is a simple technique. When you purchase a utilized iPhone, you need to contact the present network provider with the phone’s IMEI or serial number to make sure the phone is unlocked by your network provider.
ii) Check with Online Tools:
If you don’t have the flexibility to do the above technique, the last choice is to depend on an online tool like IMEI INFO that shows the iPhone status if you give IMEI or serial number of the iPhone.
iii) Test with a Different SIM:
If you have the iPhone in your hand, switch off the phone and supplant the SIM with other career networks. Turn back the iPhone and if it is unlocked one, you will have the capacity to utilize the phone simply with the other SIM.
Make sure the iPhone is compatible with your provider:
Ensure that the iPhone is compatible with your service provider. Generally, iPhones come either with CDMA or GSM. For instance, in the USA, T-Mobile and AT&T is GSM and phones are compatible with each other.
Thus, it is essential to recognize what kind of phone you will purchase and you can confirm with its model number. When you have the iPhone model number, you can get the information on your phone from Settings > General > About > Model.
Check iPhone warranty:
Apple offers 1-year default guarantee for all the Apple products. Some of the time, purchasers may buy extra warranty for their peace of mind. You will be in a similar assurance if you purchase a utilized iPhone before the expiration of the warranty period.
Make sure the iPhone isn’t stolen or activation locked:
Apple has the activation lock on iPhones to shield them from theft. So, before you pay for a refurbished iPhone, try to get the serial number or the IMEI number to check the iPhone activation lock status. In case you see activation lock enabled, you won’t have the capacity to utilize that phone as yours.
Contact the phone seller and demand to disable the activation lock and check again before you make the payment. To disable the activation lock effectively, iPhones require owner’s user ID and password.
If the phone you are planning to purchase is stolen or vendor isn’t the right owner, at that point he won’t be able to cripple the activation lock.
On the other hand, if you have the iPhone you are planning to purchase in your hands, you can check the activation lock on the gadget itself, go to Settings >iCloud> Find My iPhone. This must be turned off before you pay cash to the seller. The owner requires username and password to turn off these “Find My iPhone” settings.
Final Words
Apple makes awesome products, but the latest Apple model is always very costly. Purchasing a used Apple product can bring for you most of the features of the new model but at a less price. So, make a purchase while keeping in mind the points mentioned above and enjoy an Apple phone in your hand.