What does ref mean on the device. What are refurbished iPhones, and how do they differ from new smartphones? Quick facts about refurbished devices

Is it worth buying a refurbished iPhone? What does “refurbished” mean in general and how does this apply to a smartphone? How can you distinguish a used device from a new one? We will talk about this today in this article.

Tips for those who decide to purchase a new or refurbished iPhone

What does “restored” mean? in this case? This word means that the device was broken for some specific reason, after which it was redirected to the Apple service center. There it managed to undergo a course of, so to speak, rehabilitation, after which it again entered the market. Thus, we can already answer the question “Refurbished iPhone - what does it mean?” Now let's move on to specific tips.

Let's say your purchased iPhone was delivered in a branded box from the American company Apple. In this case, you should compare what is written on the device itself and on the box. If these numbers do not match, it means that you were not provided with the original smartphone packaging.

Now the Internet is sinking its roots deeper and deeper into the days of our lives. And if a few years ago, to buy a new device, everyone went to the salon cellular communication, then now purchasing gadgets through the international network is becoming increasingly popular. This may not be so fast, but in some cases it can bring benefits in the form of savings Money. However, each buyer in this case must understand that he can enter into a transaction with unscrupulous seller. To avoid problems in the near future, first study the terms of the transaction itself. Read what the website says about sales and refunds, or contact the seller to clarify these points with their help.

Even if you bought a refurbished iPhone (we already explained what this means at the beginning of the article), it should be covered by a warranty. It is valid for one year only, but can be extended up to two years. We advise the reader who decides to purchase a refurbished iPhone to contact Russian representatives of the company in advance and find out for sure whether your device is covered by a warranty. This procedure is especially important when you buy a device not from a mobile phone store, but from third parties.

Quick facts about refurbished devices

To the question “Refurbished iPhone - what does it mean?” we have already answered. These types of devices are smartphones that have been repackaged in a new way for resale after undergoing refurbishment procedures. We already found this out at the beginning of the article. Now let us briefly list the main points that are valid for such devices:

Any restored iPhone (reviews can be read at the end of the article) is repaired at Apple service centers.
Technical services reserve the right to integrate spare parts into smartphones if the device was previously faulty.
Any refurbished iPhone, the price of which is automatically reduced by about a third, is certified by Apple.
Once the repair of the device is completed, it is recognized as fully operational and functioning.
In order to find out whether the device has been restored, you should check the serial codes on the packaging and on the iPhone itself.

But now let’s talk in more detail about how to do this.

We check the box, smartphone and look at the serial number

Step one. So, first, we take the packaging from the iPhone and look for the seal there. It should say Apple Certified. The seal will provide additional confirmation that the device has previously undergone a restoration procedure at a service center, after which it was tested by competent specialists.
Step two. We check the packaging along with the box. If your device has been refurbished, you will most likely find it in an all-white package. The refurbished device can also be sold by third parties in non-branded packaging.
Step three. Are looking for serial number our device. He will help us find out information about recovery. If the device is turned on, then exit to the desktop and go to settings. There, select “General”, then “About device”. In it you need to find the “Serial number” column. If the smartphone is turned off, you should get to the slot where the SIM card is usually inserted. There you can find the treasured sequence of symbols.
Step four. Now we find out information about the device using the serial number. Look at the first number. If it says “5”, then it has been refurbished and certified by the company. The third digit can tell us about the year the smartphone was manufactured. For example, the number “0” will demonstrate that the device was manufactured in 2010. Thus, now you know the answer to the question of how to distinguish a refurbished iPhone. Now it’s time for us to move on to the conclusion of the article.

Refurbished iPhone: reviews of the devices and is it worth buying

The last question has a very good answer: interesting fact. In 2015, sales data for refurbished iPhone 5S surprised even representatives of the American company. The price was almost halved, which caused an unprecedented rise. Many analysts tend to think that there is nothing wrong with buying refurbished iPhones. In fact, you are buying a device with replaced hardware at a lower price.

Prices for refurbished devices:

iPhone 5S - 28 thousand rubles.
iPhone 6 - 40 thousand rubles.

It is quite natural that when planning buying an iPhone for yourself or as a gift, we are looking for the best possible offer. The current state of the market has made this much more difficult. Many people still can’t wrap their head around the fact that the two-year-old iPhone 5s model costs 35 thousand rubles. I paid the same amount for this smartphone 2 years ago when it was the best smartphone from Apple. Search advantageous offer may lead you to purchase a refurbished iPhone, and if you are considering this option, you should be very careful.

It doesn't cost anything to find it in a store in your city. They are sold in large chains and official reseller stores. You will find a huge number of advertisements on Avito. Even Yandex Market, a platform where the placement of used goods is prohibited, is filled with offers of refurbished iPhones. And there would be nothing wrong with buying such a smartphone if they were all restored by Apple, but this is not the case. There are much lesser-known organizations that willingly restore and sell iPhones. Their products are not at all what you expect to buy.

The main difference between official refurbished iPhones and those that can be ordered from China lies in the components. A refurbished iPhone is a smartphone with a new body, a new screen, a new battery and other components, and only Apple uses original components. A smartphone restored in China is a board, wrapped in an inexpensive non-original case, and covered with the same non-original display.

Another important difference lies in responsibility. If Apple cannot lose face and sell you a large number of defective devices, a master from China, instead of checking the quality of his work, would rather assemble two more such iPhones in the same time. Now I will tell you about all this in a little more detail, and you will learn what you should first pay attention to when buying.

Where are you going to buy an iPhone?

Do you want to buy an iPhone and the price seems tempting to you? Who is offering you this price? Most likely, in the stores of the Svyaznoy, M.Video chains or from one of the official Apple resellers, you will buy either a completely new iPhone or an official refurbished iPhone. The price tag may include the words “like new,” designed specifically to avoid scaring buyers with the word “refurbished,” or, worse, the phrase “used.” In other words, you can trust large retail chains. They, like Apple, will try not to lose face.

If you are planning to buy an iPhone in a hardware store, a consignment store, or if you just found an iPhone at a good price on Avito, you should be extremely careful. They may not just sell you an iPhone refurbished in China, which will come in a neatly sealed box. Some sellers may simply not mention that it is refurbished and sell it as new. We'll talk about refurbished iPhones and unofficial refurbished iPhones below.

Package

Official refurbished iPhones are sold in white boxes without a picture of the smartphone. All they have is the name of the device model, for example “iPhone 5s”, and the inscription “Apple Certified Pre-Owned”, confirming the fact that the device inside is not a new one, refurbished by Apple.

Unofficial refurbished iPhones are also sold in sealed boxes, and these boxes are an exact copy packaging new iPhone. You will not find any information on the packaging that the device is refurbished. Experienced store workers will be able to understand that the packaging is not original due to the quality of the paint and fonts, but even the serial number of the device will most likely match what is printed on the packaging. Skilled craftsmen spare no time and effort for this.

In the box with the new iPhone and the official refurbished iPhone you will find original headphones, Charger and a charging cable. We all know how well EarPods play, and how long the original charger can last with careful use.

When you open a box of a refurbished iPhone from China, you'll see everything the same, but it just looks the same. The kit includes the most cheap copy headphones, and exactly the same non-original charger. From my experience, I can say that more than half of the included chargers do not work, and the rest fail within the first two weeks, or simply fall apart in your hands the first time you try to use them. You will, of course, receive a key for removing the SIM card, which is by no means made of “liquid metal,” but you most likely will not get stickers with apples.

Appearance devices

As I already wrote above, for iPhone recovery Apple uses only original components, which means that an official refurbished iPhone does not differ in appearance, feel, or anything else from a brand new one. It really is “like new”. Have you bought this smartphone? Enjoy it and know that it was a good purchase.

With unofficial refurbished iPhones, things are much worse. Out of the box you will get a smartphone that is assembled from non-original spare parts. Even though the IMEI of the device is carefully engraved on the case, an experienced store or service center employee will distinguish a non-original case by touch and with eyes closed. Less experienced user much more complicated, and he may not suspect anything, although in fact, even the font in which the word “iPhone” is written on the back of the device is different.

The non-original case is perfectly complemented by a non-original screen. Front-camera may be displaced, the holes for sensors on the glass may be very noticeable in purple, and of course, no one promises you the original brightness and color rendition. Also pay attention to the connectors and bolts. All this is assembled in China, and developed there, and not at all in California. How spare parts are used Low quality, they are more susceptible to wear. The paint on the body will quickly peel off, and the glass will become stained and scratched; it has completely different qualities compared to the original one.

But the worst thing lies inside

I admire the skills of Chinese phone repairers. The speed at which they work is reminiscent of experienced chefs who prepare shawarma from morning to evening. Unfortunately, in the first case, their haste comes at the expense of quality. It seems that it is really faster and easier for a technician to replace all the components in a smartphone than to figure out which one is not working. And as I wrote above, instead of checking his work, the technician would rather restore a couple more iPhones. This makes it really scary to look inside unofficial refurbished iPhones.

I saw amazing pictures. When you disassemble an iPhone that looks brand new from the outside, you don't expect to see a circuit board whose components are hidden under a layer of rust. It's good if they are all in place. An unofficial refurbished iPhone may contain significantly fewer parts than originally intended.

Unfortunately, these are not fairy tales. Even if everything works in such a smartphone now, most likely it won’t last long. Serious illnesses can appear from a simple shake, and something in a smartphone can fail, such as Wi-Fi or a modem. The build quality also matters. The battery can peel off from the case and dangle inside, and this is the most harmless thing that can happen.

In other words, the unofficial restored iPhone is full surprises, and this is not at all what you would like to surprise yourself or your loved ones with. The number of defects among such iPhones is huge. Perhaps many of them break on the way to the display case, while others were never in good working order. Let me briefly add that you will not see anything like this in an official refurbished iPhone.

Prices

What’s most interesting is that prices for official refurbished iPhones and bad smartphones from China may differ quite a bit, or not differ at all. They will be cheaper than new devices, which is what attracts them. Remember that if you suddenly find an iPhone much cheaper than in all stores, most likely it is refurbished. If miracles do happen, it’s definitely not in a store where the iPhone 5s costs less than 27 thousand rubles. Also be aware of dishonest sellers who may sell you a refurbished iPhone under the guise of a new one.

Important Details

There are a few more details to keep in mind. Remember that the iPhone 4s came out in 2011. In 2012, after the release of the iPhone 5, last year's model became available only with 8 gigabytes of memory. In 2013, when the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c appeared, the iPhone 5 was simply discontinued. Remember this when you are offered to buy the “new” iPhone 4s 16GB and iPhone 5. These smartphones have not been produced for 2-3 years, they cannot be new. Also, when purchasing a refurbished iPhone 5s, you must remember that only the A1457 and A1530 models in Russia will have LTE. Most unofficial refurbished iPhone 5s do not support our network frequencies fourth generation.

I hope this material will be useful to you and help you complete successful purchase, or avoid mistakes. Remember that iPhone is designed to make our lives easier. Be careful, and then you will be able to do without unnecessary difficulties.

Every person wants to have a decent smartphone, but not everyone can afford it. However, don’t despair. Some people prefer to buy smartphones that have already been used before. However, there is such a thing as a refurbished phone. There are quite a lot of such devices, and their cost is much less than the original ones.

What device is called refurbished?

Sometimes buyers return the purchased phone within two weeks. The reasons for such an action can be objective and subjective. The first includes the presence of defects, and the second - a design that you don’t like, problematic characteristics, and so on. Therefore, when talking about what a refurbished phone means, it should be noted that these are the devices that are called that way.

Sometimes smartphones that were deformed or lost their functionality and were subsequently restored in a factory workshop are classified as such. In this case, spare parts are used only from the manufacturer, and repairs are carried out in special service centers. Such devices can be called refurbished.

How to distinguish a refurbished device from a new one?

It should be noted that it is externally impossible to distinguish a refurbished device from a new one, since they are completely identical. Therefore, when purchasing, you need to pay attention to some nuances:

The word “refurbished” will be written on the box of the device.
You need to check the IMEI on the manufacturer's website, it will not be activated.
Where the IMEI, production address and barcode are indicated on the box, the full name of the device will be indicated. If the additional letters RFB are indicated, then this is a refurbished phone.
It is advisable to double-check the serial number of the phone and the packaging in which it is sold.

You should pay attention to the price. As a rule, the discount on later models of devices can amount to a large amount. Therefore, the advantage of such a purchase is obvious. However, an important note: purchases should only be made in official stores so as not to purchase a Chinese counterfeit.

Reviews and warranty

Reviews of refurbished Samsung, Apple and other phones are quite positive. The devices do not differ in appearance from the new models, but are in no way inferior in functionality. This is due to the fact that the restoration process is carried out by the manufacturer itself.

After reassembling the device, the warranty is issued again. It lasts a year or two depending on the model and manufacturer. This is a separate advantage.

Equipment

Having understood what a refurbished phone means, it is important to understand what it comes with. Most manufacturers have a complete set. If the original new model included a headset, charger, cable for connecting to a computer, warranty documents and instructions for using the phone, then the restored version will also have such a set.

Is it worth purchasing?

Many people are interested in whether such a purchase is worth the money. What a refurbished phone means is already described in the article, so you should pay attention to the subtleties of the issue. Some devices are manufactured with certain defects, which are eliminated at the factory after the phone reaches the shelves. Such a phone will already be considered refurbished, so it will cost less. Therefore, there is no need to consider such a smartphone used or anything like that.

Currently in Russian Federation There are quite a few stores that sell such devices. However, sales of refurbished phones are successfully practiced abroad. In order not to burn out on a purchase, you need to monitor the buyer’s rating.

Telephone? This is a smartphone that has been repaired after being purchased by someone and brought back to the store in good condition. The packaging that comes with the device always says who restored the gadget. You need to choose the device that has the Manufacturer Refurbished signature. It is these devices that are restored in the factories of the original manufacturers, which means they can guarantee the quality of all materials used. Refurbished iPhone phones are quite popular at the moment. What does it mean? The fact that many buyers are more profitable to buy a refurbished device than to shell out money for a new device.

Sometimes the boxes have another inscription: Seller refurbished. This suggests that the phone was restored by the seller himself. Therefore, no one guarantees quality. You need to be extremely careful, since such devices are sold even on large Internet sites.

You should pay attention to the fact that there are now a large number of scammers. Wondering if the phone can be restored, they do all the work manually using Chinese parts and then sell the devices at a high price. Some sellers even buy lots of refurbished appliances and sell them as new. We should not forget that officially refurbished phones are provided with a long-term warranty, so it is more profitable to buy from trusted sellers.

Buying a refurbished iPhone: how to check?

Verification can be done through the company's website and through iTunes. Let's consider both methods:

Website. You need to look at the serial number on your smartphone. You need to use data specifically from the information in the phone, and not from the box. Next, go to the website in the “Checking eligibility for support” tab. In the page that opens, you need to enter the code and click “Continue.” If the device is activated, it means it is not restored.
iTunes. A popular scam scheme: a fake one embedded in unofficial firmware. You should run the program, connect the phone to the PC and wait until it is completely synchronized. Next, you need to click on the smartphone icon and see its characteristics. The serial number must match.

How to use?

Refurbished phones work just like new ones. Therefore no important nuances and there are no rules for use. All phones, both new and refurbished, must be treated with care and not dropped. We must not forget about the viruses that exist on the Internet.

Since the winter of 2015-2016, a number of Russian Apple retailers (Svyaznoy, MTS, M.Video, etc.) for the first time launched sales of refurbished (refurbished, “like new”, CPO) iPhones. Let’s look at how attractive this offer is in the material below.

In contact with

What is a refurbished iPhone

First you need to define the concepts. A restored (or “refurbished”) iPhone is not always a used smartphone that is completely free of existing defects. It could be new smartphone, which, but for some reason (for example, defects in the production process) was subject to intervention technical service manufacturer.

From service centers throughout iPhone world with damage they end up at an Apple partner factory where they are produced. complete replacement (not repair) of all problematic modules, mandatory replacement of the housing screen, reinstallation software and removing the device from the database of used (activated) gadgets.

At the same time, the iPhone gets “like new” new serial number, manufacturer's warranty (the same as a new one - 1 year), documentation, charger, headphones (i.e. the whole new set) and goes to the shelf Apple Store or reseller store.

Naturally, the final price of such a device is lower, but the difference is not as significant as we would like.

How to distinguish a refurbished (CPO, ref) iPhone from a used one

Extremely undesirable buy new iPhone in ordinary small online stores and from sellers at flea markets (naturally, we are not talking about large official retailers such as Svyaznoy, MTS, M.Video, etc.). Most of these phones will be packaged second-hand phones with a non-original kit. In this case, it is best to buy an official iPhone refurbished by Apple specialists.

It is quite easy to distinguish a smartphone that has been truly refurbished by the manufacturer.

First of all, this is what the box says - she's noticeably different from packaging new iPhone(photo below), and also has a corresponding inscription at the bottom of the front side - “ Apple Certified Pre-Owned"(CPO).

On the right in the photo below is the box of the new iPhone X, on the left is the box of the original refurbished one (ref, CPO, “like new”) Apple iPhone X:

In addition, the refurbished model iPhone starts with F and sometimes contains an abbreviation RFB(refurbished). .

Label of the new iPhone:

Refurbished iPhone Label:

As mentioned above, the buyer of a refurbished iPhone is entitled to a year of free warranty service, which can be easily checked using this instruction:

And yes, the official CPO (“like new”, ref) is always sold unactivated, the same as a regular new one Apple smartphone. This can be easily checked.

We wish you good luck in purchasing your iPhone!

And so we continue to understand Referbish, this time I’m writing a blog from a hotel in the city of Shenzhen, which is located in China and borders the Hong Kong special economic zone.
I was brought here because my friends are opening their own repair service center. cell phones, mainly Apple and Samsung. It has long been no secret to anyone that normal high-quality equipment at a reasonable price can be bought in China. And also fill your warehouse with high-quality spare parts and components. There were no objections to my presence, so I decided to take a trip to the Middle Kingdom, and at the same time, if possible, to figure it out and dig deeper about restored mobile phones...
Since my last article (almost the first), I have had enough time to understand in more detail the quality of referrals.
I also managed to find several sites, including discount-mobile.ru, that sell refurbished phones.
First, about the quality of the products. Yes Yes! there are several categories: a+, a, b, c, d,

Category A+
The product is refurbished in the same factories where it was actually produced.
For example: You bought a phone from an authorized Apple iPhone Store, and a week later it broke. They will replace you with a new device for free, and the broken one will be sent to the manufacturer (Foxconn).
Then you can purchase a refurbished phone, for example, on the website of the American mobile operator AT&T. On the site there are expensive Refurbished phones and there are some for free. It depends on how many years you sign a contract to use this connection.
The second way to get such a phone: let’s say your iPhone 4s does not turn on 8 months after purchase. And by pure chance, you ended up, for example, in the Hong Kong Apple Store, you give your phone and pay an additional 130 USD, in return they give you the same, officially restored iPhone 4s, which will have a “original” 1-year warranty. Unfortunately in Russia the warranty only applies to PCT iPhones. All other equipment (ipad, macbook, ipod) is serviced without problems. At least a few months ago there were no problems.

Category A
So serious mobile operators like T-mobile, at&t, Verizon, as well as large retail chains (for example, bestbuy.com are always ready to offer a person new phone in exchange for the old one with an additional payment, such as trade-in. Next, very serious companies buy up the accumulated stock from the above companies and sell it to small offices, which in turn put the goods up at auctions (for example this one) in the form of a lot! These lots are won by large, serious "ref" factories. They restore phones in factory conditions from original new spare parts and components. I apparently purchased such a product at discount-mobile.ru, which I already talked about and showed in the previous one. The phone was packed in the original factory films and box, the original accessories also worked for a long time, I was even lucky with the warranty, the website apple.com showed that before the expiration warranty period 4 months left. In general, the phone is satisfied with the normal flight!!! I'm thinking of changing to the fifth one.

Category B
This category refers to goods purchased at the same auctions in small resellers.
Phones are no longer restored in equipped workshops and without professional equipment.
The cheapest spare parts and components for such phones are purchased, frame, touch and back cover they buy new ones, but unfortunately, such spare parts as a microphone, speakers, cables, sensors, batteries, vibration motors, leave the old ones so that the box and accessories are also copies. This method is resorted to due to low turnover and lack of funds in order to compete with large companies
Quality is 50/50 accordingly

Category C
Items purchased through advertisements, ebay, stolen, avito, etc., etc.
Such phones can be re-soldered several times, recessed or repaired.
Such goods are restored very quickly, cheaply and cheerfully. If something is broken, then they solder it again, they don’t change the frame but repair it, the wheel is replaced with the cheapest one, back panel Also, the boxes don't look like boxes at all. Such goods are sold mainly at the Savelovsky market in Moscow.
I personally went and saw how almost every second person sells referrals in this category. When I picked up one of these phones, what immediately caught my eye was the scratched headphone jack and the dirty, scratched charging socket. The phone was also locked. And with the first update he would have turned into a Brick.

Let's summarize:
Category A+: a little expensive, although it comes with an official guarantee, it still does not apply to Russia.
You can buy it here: AT&T

Category A: The difference with a new phone in Moscow is from 7,000 to 12,000 rubles, I use this reference myself, I’m completely satisfied, they give their own guarantee, only for free repair. Accordingly, there is no exchange because, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, such a phone is equivalent to a used one, and the law and consumer rights do not apply to used equipment.
You can buy it here.