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Are 3G iPhones from a white box still new?

A

AndroidSUCKS

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 15, 2008
19
0
Whenever they exchange 3G iPhones at the Genius Bar, I noticed they take one of those iPhones out of a unsealed white box to make the swap.

Is that the case with everyone here who has the swap? Anyone here got a used/refurbished 3G phone? Or at this point you've all gotten new replacement phones out of white box?
 
They're not refurb. I had my phone replaced a week ago and a woman was refusing one from a white box because she was convinced it was a refurb.. a manager was explaining that it's not and they'd be happy to give her a sealed box iphone if she was that worried about it, and they did.

lindsayanng said:
its probably a refurb> BRAND new ones would be in a sealed box.
Click to expand...
 
I'd like to know, too. Maybe ask the genius if you could see the serial #? Older build week = refurb, later build week = new???

I went to the Apple store the other day to have my sleep/wake button looked at (it sank in and was no longer as responsive). The genius told me that since I bought it from AT&T, they could only replace it from their refurb inventory (white box). Apple purchasers could get a brand new (regular box) replacement on the spot. He told me if I bring it back to AT&T, they would be able to replace it with a new unit ~ so I did. Luckily, my DF order only took one day to ship!
 
From my understanding, they are still brand new, but bulk packaged especially as replacements. When you get a replacement, you don't get all the other stuff, it's just the phone, so they package them in a simpler way.

In the future, they will probably be refurbs, but at this time, I don't believe enough time has elapsed since the debut for there to be refurbs available.
 
When I got a replacement (EDGE) iPhone, when my screen cracked, I got a replacement from a white box.

The receipt said it was specifically a replacement iPhone, and I suppose they have many of them in these boxes as replacements/exchanges.
 
Ntombi said:
From my understanding, they are still brand new, but bulk packaged especially as replacements. When you get a replacement, you don't get all the other stuff, it's just the phone, so they package them in a simpler way...
Click to expand...
That is the case, they just come in the white plain boxes as they do not need all of the other stuff that comes with the retail box.
JIGPhone said:
I'd like to know, too. Maybe ask the genius if you could see the serial #? Older build week = refurb, later build week = new???
Click to expand...
That wouldn't help all that much though, as there have not been a ton of production weeks yet.
 
It is not a refurb phone. It is brand new! It was made specifically for GB repairs. It just doesnt come in a brand new apple box because you already have everything else it comes with. My bud is a genius over @ my local store.
 
depends on the box.
 

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extra warranty

do you guys know if you have to buy a sepprate warranty or some kind of protection plac in order to get a replacement if something goes wrong? or is there a warranty allready from apple when you buy the phone thanks i just got my phone about 4 days ago so far so good i love it
 
They are most certainly either refurbs, returns, etc. That being said, Apple has what many consider to be the some of best quality control when it comes to their refurbs. Most refurbs from Apple look and perform brand new, with the same warranty.

How do I know? I swapped out my 1st gen iPhone shortly after it came out and my 'white box' replacement (that I saw him open the seal in front of me), still had some lady's iTunes account info in the phone. Shocking, considering Apple's track record with refurbs, but it can happen. They were cool about it and just swapped it again.
 
dboy261 said:
do you guys know if you have to buy a sepprate warranty or some kind of protection plac in order to get a replacement if something goes wrong? or is there a warranty allready from apple when you buy the phone thanks i just got my phone about 4 days ago so far so good i love it
Click to expand...

It comes with the Apple 1 year, but you can buy the extra year of Apple Care anytime during that 1st year.
 
From my understanding you get a 3G replacement out the white box if you bought the phone from ATT otherwise if you bought it at apple you get a brand spanking new phone from an sealed box.
 
I think that at the moment, the phones you're getting are brand new. For me, all my replacements had recent build weeks marked on them.


aphexii said:
How do I know? I swapped out my 1st gen iPhone shortly after it came out and my 'white box' replacement (that I saw him open the seal in front of me), still had some lady's iTunes account info in the phone. Shocking, considering Apple's track record with refurbs, but it can happen. They were cool about it and just swapped it again.
Click to expand...

I can see why you might think that, but for the record, this has has happened to me on a brand new, sealed retail box unit too.
 
some are new, some are refurb'ed. workers in the store cannot tell at all, unfortunately. they're not marked specifically. you can get either.
 
Ride9650 said:
I think that at the moment, the phones you're getting are brand new. For me, all my replacements had recent build weeks marked on them. I can see why you might think that, but for the record, this has has happened to me on a brand new, sealed retail box unit too.
Click to expand...

Having addressed many of the issues you mention; Apple has never really come out and admitted that the iPhones in little white boxes are refurbs or new. The only thing they said was that they had "control of the serial numbers" so if it's a replacement iPhone they can't really tell at the store whether it's a refurb or new, (Only response I've ever gotten out them Genius'). I've grown accustomed to bringing my old box and accessories, every time I bring anything Apple to the Apple Store... but that's just me. :cool:
 
I'm not suggesting that Apple does not intend to provide refurbs, but I don't see how new iphones could be returned to the store, shipped (likely in bulk) to the repair depot, repaired (assuming that they have a stock of replacement parts), tested, shipped to a distribution point, and finally shipped to the stores, all in a little over a month.
 
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