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White Box Genius Bar Phones ARE REFURBS

Opie

Opie

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
I was in the Apple Store in Dallas, TX at the Northpark Center Location tonight. I was a walk in so i had to wait an hour and a half. I was getting my old iphone looked at since my warranty is about to expire, and while i was waiting there were at least 15 people in front of me with their 3g's and when the Genius would tell them that they would replace their phone but it WOULD BE A REFURB i just happened to overhear him. Now i dont doubt that several people got brand new ones at one time but it has been almost two months so the refurbs are out. If its in a little white box with nothing on it then it IS A REFURB. Now i have no problems with refurbs. They have same warranty and look great. Just wanted to let yall know.
 
Sorry, but one post based on one Genius telling some people they're refurbs does not equal fact. This is just not good journalism. Maybe they are refurbs, maybe they're not, maybe the Genius doesn't know what he/she's talking about...it certainly wouldn't be the first time that's happened. This is Apple we're talking about; they're not exactly the kings of full disclosure.

I got my phone replaced about 10 days ago from a white box. I was told it was not a refurb. Maybe things have changed since then, maybe not. I don't really understand the need to determine a definite scenario for all white boxes anyhow, but people on this forum love to try and make black and white out of grey all the time.
 
Opie said:
I was in the Apple Store in Dallas, TX at the Northpark Center Location tonight. I was a walk in so i had to wait an hour and a half. I was getting my old iphone looked at since my warranty is about to expire, and while i was waiting there were at least 15 people in front of me with their 3g's and when the Genius would tell them that they would replace their phone but it WOULD BE A REFURB i just happened to overhear him. Now i dont doubt that several people got brand new ones at one time but it has been almost two months so the refurbs are out. If its in a little white box with nothing on it then it IS A REFURB. Now i have no problems with refurbs. They have same warranty and look great. Just wanted to let yall know.
Click to expand...

I got mine at most, a week before the 11th of August. It wasn't refurb in which I confirmed with the Apple manager (letting him know I was a manager at AT&T)

There may be refurbs now, but anyone who switched before the 11th got new ones.
 
No they are just repackaged new phones now, since they can't allocate the new boxes as people are still lining up to buy them!
 
I had my iPhone 3G replaced in the first week of August due to a faulty ringer switch. When I asked if it was a refurb, the Apple Genius told me that the phone was too new then to be a refurb, since it had only been out a few weeks. He said the reason they are white-boxed is because they don't come with any of the accessories or a SIM card - it is just the phone.

He said that in the future, they will be refurb phones, but that they carry the same warranty, and refurbs always have brand new outer components, so it will look new, NOT used. I've been helped by this guy in the past and he really knew his stuff, so this is most likely the best explanation.
 
this isn't true.


i had to get my first gen iPhone replaced. bought the first one on the day it came out, and needed to get it replaced in january. the serial number stated that it was made within 2-3 weeks ago.

So unless they take the back off of every iphone they get returned, and put back on it with a new serial number on it.... i doubt it. and yes the 3G iPhones dont have serial numbers on them, but i still doubt it's true.
 
I got mine from a white box on tuesday, and according to the serial number it was made on the week of august 3rd (week 32)

So i doubt it's a refurb.
 
Why can't they be refurbished? Of course Apple would tell you people they're brand new, and of course you people are all trying to convincing yourselves they're new because you got those.

"Too new to be refurbished"......you people actually believe that? Do you even know how little time it actually takes for them to exchange any malfunctional parts?

You can choose whatever you want to believe to make yourselves feel better.
 
My iPhone has a bit of a uneven/sunk in screen, but I didn't worry about it because the rest of the phone is great... but now my battery seems to be dying super fast when before I was getting good usage (I even posted it on the forums with a screen shot). So we'll see if I get it replaced or not.

snverhallen
 

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This is a dead horse, different store with different stories. One employee will swear that the phone is new, another will tell you is refurb. Who knows.
 
Does it really matter, you are trading in a used phone ... if you get a repaired used phone back it should be a step up from a broken one.
 
Opie said:
I was in the Apple Store in Dallas, TX at the Northpark Center Location tonight. I was a walk in so i had to wait an hour and a half. I was getting my old iphone looked at since my warranty is about to expire, and while i was waiting there were at least 15 people in front of me with their 3g's and when the Genius would tell them that they would replace their phone but it WOULD BE A REFURB i just happened to overhear him. Now i dont doubt that several people got brand new ones at one time but it has been almost two months so the refurbs are out. If its in a little white box with nothing on it then it IS A REFURB. Now i have no problems with refurbs. They have same warranty and look great. Just wanted to let yall know.
Click to expand...

Hi neighbor! Actually, I live closer to and purchased my iPhone from the Knox store. 😎
 
Opie said:
Whats up. Yeah im in lewisville. Is knox street nice?
Click to expand...

I like the neighborhood, used to live down the street at Knox and Travis. Very nice area...can walk around, shop, eat, jog on Katy Trail. The Knox street store usually doesn't have the long lines like the mall does....for obvious reasons. While the mall has tons of stores and other attractions, Knox street isn't so bad itself. You should plan an afternoon to drop by, shop, take a walk on Katy Trail. I really think it's the nicest neighborhood in Dallas. Very urban but clean and nice.

I go to Church up in Carrollton bordering Lewisville....was just there a bit earlier. Going to the Sonic tomorrow @ 121 & Hebron for a fundraiser. Better get my butt in bed. 😉
 
Apple states in their AppleCare TOS that replacement parts and products can be refurbished. Whether or not you receive a refurbished iPhone would depend largely on the current supply of refurbished phones, I would imagine.

I doubt there's a way for the Geniuses to know which models are refurbished and which aren't.
 
thats good to know about knox street. ill start going there instead of northpark. its like a zoo in there. good luck with the fundraiser
 
they are NOT refurbs, they are just not packaged in the retail boxes

I spoke with the manager at the Santa Monica Apple store and he gave me all the facts

the reason i would think apple employees are saying they are refurbs is to stop all the whiny people who want an absolutely perfect iphone


good for them, scare those people into keeping phones that should never be returned in the first place
 
Sun Baked said:
Does it really matter, you are trading in a used phone ... if you get a repaired used phone back it should be a step up from a broken one.
Click to expand...

This is an excellent point. Plus, it may not be new, but it has seen more than just an assembly line. Refurbs are tested, and therefore probably seen some form of degree of quality control.

When Apple get a phone to refurb, I'm sure they don't just say "Oh here's a phone, lets restore it and throw it in a white box for some other sap to deal with"
 
nickspohn said:
So unless they take the back off of every iphone they get returned, and put back on it with a new serial number on it.... i doubt it.
Click to expand...

Im pretty sure that I read on the Apple site they do change the serial number of every item that becomes a refurb.
 
snverhallen said:
My iPhone has a bit of a uneven/sunk in screen, but I didn't worry about it because the rest of the phone is great... but now my battery seems to be dying super fast when before I was getting good usage (I even posted it on the forums with a screen shot). So we'll see if I get it replaced or not.

snverhallen
Click to expand...

I have experienced both the problems that you have. I can even press moderately hard on the screen and get a ripple in the LCD. My batter was fine since release day, but in the last week the battery suddenly drains incredibly quickly with Wifi and Location Services off, remote not staying connected, and brightness set to the middle. It's a real drag.
 
netdog said:
I have experienced both the problems that you have. I can even press moderately hard on the screen and get a ripple in the LCD. My batter was fine since release day, but in the last week the battery suddenly drains incredibly quickly with Wifi and Location Services off, remote not staying connected, and brightness set to the middle. It's a real drag.
Click to expand...

The screen ripple thing happens on all iPhones.
 
I had mine replaced today and when I asked about if they were refurbs or new the genius didn't know but said it was more likely to be new as they haven't been out all that long.

I really should have checked the new one over more thoroughly; got home and found it's got a dent just below the sim tray on the back. Looks like I'm going back in there next weekend.
 
netdog said:
I have experienced both the problems that you have. I can even press moderately hard on the screen and get a ripple in the LCD. My batter was fine since release day, but in the last week the battery suddenly drains incredibly quickly with Wifi and Location Services off, remote not staying connected, and brightness set to the middle. It's a real drag.
Click to expand...

I agree! I had WiFi and LS off as well but my battery drained quickly like I previously said. Have you gotten your iPhone replaced yet? Do you think these issues deserve a replacement?

snverhallen
 
shenaniganz08 said:
they are NOT refurbs, they are just not packaged in the retail boxes

I spoke with the manager at the Santa Monica Apple store and he gave me all the facts

the reason i would think apple employees are saying they are refurbs is to stop all the whiny people who want an absolutely perfect iphone


good for them, scare those people into keeping phones that should never be returned in the first place
Click to expand...

The reason the manager told you that is because he would tell you that. Apple employees tend to be more honest than those in the manager position in the stores (the specialists/genius' are there because they love apple products, the managers are there to do business).

I don't understand why this is even a thread. OP - you should have searched the forum.

The white box phones are specifically for replacements. These may or may not be refurbs. When refurbs are available, they will be refurbs. Otherwise, they're used to replace products or to display on the shop floor.

FACT.

Can this debacle be over now?
 
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