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Refurbished iphone from at&t
- Thread starter bbtchris
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AT&T Refurbished are not the same as Apple Refurbished.
AT&T just sells you a previously used iPhone that has been returned for whatever reason, and they just 'Erase All Content and Settings' directly from the phone settings and turns around an sells it to you at a refurbished price.
People have been known to receive phones with scratches, scuff, dents. You may get lucky and get a good-as-new iPhone, but its a gamble.
Also, you only get 90 days limited warranty (Not 1 Year) and no option to buy Apple Care.
You save $50, but I'm not sure if its worth it, considering how much you give up.
AT&T just sells you a previously used iPhone that has been returned for whatever reason, and they just 'Erase All Content and Settings' directly from the phone settings and turns around an sells it to you at a refurbished price.
People have been known to receive phones with scratches, scuff, dents. You may get lucky and get a good-as-new iPhone, but its a gamble.
Also, you only get 90 days limited warranty (Not 1 Year) and no option to buy Apple Care.
You save $50, but I'm not sure if its worth it, considering how much you give up.
I think this was an earlier misconception. Check out this packaging insert on refurbished iPhones 3G from two years ago: http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...ll-at-amp-t-customers?p=10860133#post10860133
"10% restocking fee applies ALL refurbished iPhone returns. Refurbished iPhones have a full 1 year warranty. You must retain receipt for warranty claims through Apple."
Someone in a forum posted this in response to the blog posts then circulating about lack of a warranty. Apple still protects the devices for one year, however resold they are. I think at worst you have to prove to Apple it was resold to you to recalibrate the "day one" date.
Of course, I say this mostly because I just ordered a refurbed 32 GB iPhone 4. If the reality has changed and Apple truly doesn't offer protection (which would be pretty strange to me, since if you bought one from someone else on eBay, you'd still have it), I'll post on here to let y'all know. I'm not incredibly worried about cosmetic problems, as unboxing videos of other refurbs of past models show them to be clean and like new, but I'll certainly tell if there are issues...
I could be wrong, but I did call AT&T last weekend when the iPhone 4 refurbished became available because my cousin was interested in one, but she doesn't know what questions to ask, so I called for her.
The woman on the phone "Looked into it" and told me that I only have 90 days warranty, no option for Apple Care, and they are sold as is (whatever condition they have available).
I'm only going by what I was told, and what I've read online, but don't hold me to it. If Apple/AT&T do offer 1 year warranty, then that is good news.
The woman on the phone "Looked into it" and told me that I only have 90 days warranty, no option for Apple Care, and they are sold as is (whatever condition they have available).
I'm only going by what I was told, and what I've read online, but don't hold me to it. If Apple/AT&T do offer 1 year warranty, then that is good news.
I did some more Googling. It looks like the 90 days is guaranteed, but is an established minimum on coverage. So, if you buy a refurbished unit and enter its serial number into this page (https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do), and it turns out there's only a month of coverage left, Apple and AT&T will bump it up to 90 days.
If, instead, you enter your hardware serial number into that website and it says 11 months, you inherit that.
I've also heard stories online of people contacting Apple or going into the store with their refurb receipt and just getting bumped up to the nominal twelve months. Likewise, I've heard no problems about purchasing Applecare, since Apple doesn't even know or care whether or not the device has been resold (hence the earlier coverage from the original owner's Applecare running onwards from the first activation.)
I think AT&T's policy here more regards their other phones, for whom they're the ones who normally provide warranty and insurance coverage. Apple having a big role here makes them a strange middleman, as we've often seen with other issues.
Anyway, it is a strange headache and a possible set of hassles. But I save $50 (which normally isn't a big amount, but right now am pinching pennies) and I lose out on the pretty Apple box. Oh well.
I figure if there are real issues with the phone, the Genius bar will replace it anyway (as they seem fond of doing for people with even "minor" reception or proximity-sensor issues).
rectifiability,
Thanks for your great Googling, this is all new information to me and very helpful information for my cousin who was debating wether to save $50 and get an AT&T refurb or just pay the extra $50 and buy it new from Apple.
Thanks for your great Googling, this is all new information to me and very helpful information for my cousin who was debating wether to save $50 and get an AT&T refurb or just pay the extra $50 and buy it new from Apple.
This is what i originally told my cousin to do, but don't tell the genius employee that you want to switch it out because you got a refurb from AT&T. Go to Apple and say your having Prox Sensor issues, or something else, and try to get a new phone that way, I don't see why they would deny you.
Mine was perfect, came with a one year warranty and I can buy AppleCare. It came in a white AT&T box but that should not matter.
i bought a refurb 3G back about 2 years ago...returned it 2 times....the first one had a screen shield on it (this was straight off ATT site, if you look back, i even posted that i got a refurb with a screen protector on it). The camera didnt work though. So i took it to apple store, they replaced it with another. I had the other about a month, then the sleep button broke and tucked itself inside the case. So i returned that and then got another one. I kept this one for almost 2 years. Just replaced it with a 4.
Refurbs are a 50/50 shot...but you can make a appointment at the apple store and return it if anything =)
Refurbs are a 50/50 shot...but you can make a appointment at the apple store and return it if anything =)
Bought a refurbished 3G laster year from AT&T and it was like brand new. Not a thing wrong with it.
No, they wont exchange it at AT&T for any cosmetic or manufacturer defect.
You will have to go to Apple or call Applecare and exchange it thru the mail.
I wouldn't trust what at&t says about the iPhone. They have their own policies that get trumped by Apple's.
Hey guys,
Just got my refurbished 32 GB iPhone 4 from AT&T-- it is brilliant. I see no cosmetic faults, and it is shiny and beautiful. I can't even believe someone else has owned this. It also came with the normally-Apple packaged stickers, cords and earbuds. Though I can't seem to find the SIM removal tool.
Better yet? It has 4.0.1! Jailbreakme.com, here I come.
Just got my refurbished 32 GB iPhone 4 from AT&T-- it is brilliant. I see no cosmetic faults, and it is shiny and beautiful. I can't even believe someone else has owned this. It also came with the normally-Apple packaged stickers, cords and earbuds. Though I can't seem to find the SIM removal tool.
Better yet? It has 4.0.1! Jailbreakme.com, here I come.
I bought my iPhone 3G in March of 2009 as a refurb from AT&T (was able to get the 16GB model for the price of the 8GB) and it worked perfectly until the day I got my iPhone 4 this July (well, technically it still works fine, it just sits in a drawer powered off). Assuming they are doing the same pricing $99 off is one hell of a deal for a phone that appears to be in perfect condition and is covered under all of the same warranties as a new product. If I had the patience I would have waited to upgrade to an iPhone 4 until they had refurb 32GB units so I could have gotten a 32GB for $199 intead of a 16GB. If I ever had the chance/need to buy a refurb iPhone from AT&T, I would most certainly do it.
Sadly, the current deal is only $50 off, which is still pretty damn worth it, I think. You seem to only lose out on having the actual box. And maybe a few months of coverage-- my warranty only lasts until June 13th 2011.
I'm amazed by this device. The old iPhone 3G looks grainy and cartoonishly clunky in comparison. Leave it to Apple to surpass a device I thought was elegant and amazing only a few months ago...