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I went from a 128GB 6S+ plus a couple of months ago to a 4 month old matte black iPhone 7+ 256GB with Applecare till July 2019 for $630 on swappa and sold my 2 year old 6S+ for $470 in the same week. I can't see myself upgrading in the near future, love this phone! I was holding out for the X but was not impressed with the price or the notch.
 
“Refurbs” are literally as good as new, when it comes to Apple.

Don’t make the mistake of interpreting the term as ‘second-hand’ or somehow ‘used’.

It’s as good as new, but technically has to be called a refurb; so Apple reduce the price, but preserve the quality and warranty.

If it is just as good as new, why does Apple sell them for a big discount?
 
Apple's refurbs are just as good, if not better, than new. You just don't get a fancy box.

I can second this. I bought my wife a refurbished 2013 MacBook Pro a few years ago and it's still going strong. It was a brand new computer just didn't come in a fancy box.
 
If it is just as good as new, why does Apple sell them for a big discount?
Because they can no longer sell an item that has left their store as new. If you buy a phone and use it for 10 days and return it during the 14-day return window, Apple can't resell it as new. If you buy an iPhone and return it in the original, unwrapped packaging the same day, Apple can't resell it as new. These phones undergo an extensive QA process to make sure they are up to par before they are then resold as refurbished.

By all accounts, refurbished Apple products are more extensively tested before they go out the door than new products. I have bought dozens of refurbished Apple products. Only one had ANY signs of use.
 
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I disagree, if anything goes wrong with your "new" phone apple gives you a refurbish one anyway.

My refurb late 2011 MBP is still going strong, and aside from the box it came in has been indistinguishable from a new device.

Apple’s refurb devices are considerably better than many others ‘open box discount’ machines.

If one isn’t after the latest and greatest 8/8+/X then 10% off of a 7/7+ is a pretty good deal.
 
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that's funny - i had been watching this for months wondering if it was going to happen. i finally got tired of waiting and got a mint condition 7 on swappa from a reseller. was surprised to find that it was only 3 months old and so still has warranty until september! $130 less than apple's price... happy with this outcome.
 
Because they can no longer sell an item that has left their store as new.

They can't, or choose not to? Plenty of stores will sell you devices that have left the store before. We're talking consumer electronics, not condoms. It's usually not illegal. But this only bodes well for Apple - transparency is never unwelcome.
 
serious people buy refurbish phones or other tech not wise decision

Apple has a good history with "refurbished" products and they give you a 1 year warranty with it as well. Name another phone manufacturer that offers a similar experience (Apple Store, 1 year warranty, high quality control and quality check, customer service) as Apple? Very hard to find one because you have to compromise somewhere with another OEM's refurbished devices.
 
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I generally buy refurbished Apples products from iPads to MacBooks and have had good success knowing Apple's refurbs are generally regarded as the best.

However, given their notable decline in build and software quality, I'm wondering if that's still the case. For anyone who made refurbished purchases lately, is the quality still as good as what you expected?
 
I can second this. I bought my wife a refurbished 2013 MacBook Pro a few years ago and it's still going strong. It was a brand new computer just didn't come in a fancy box.

I can third this ... I bought a Mid 2014 13" MacBook Pro refurbished at the end of 2014 and I'm typing this post on it now. Only difference was the box.... looked brand new at the time and still does. The saving I got as a refurb allowed me to opt for the 1TB flash as opposed to the 512GB, so a noticeable saving and benefit.
 
serious people buy refurbish phones or other tech not wise decision

I've bought refurbished from Apple a number of times. The Early-2011 MacBook Pro I bought for my girlfriend (now wife) in 2011 refurbished is still serving as my primary home machine and working well. When my iPhone 6s Plus had a Lightning port issue last year (3 months before my AppleCare gave out), it was replaced with a refurbished phone. It was like a new phone.

Opposite of the post here, I fully recommend giving refurbs a shot, especially being they come with the same warranty Apple places on new devices and you can add AppleCare(+) to them.

Well, unless you're just one of those people who must have the retail box itself as a showpiece.
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I still using my Jet Black Plus 128GB and have no intention to upgrade.. the phone is a beast.

Is it still perfectly glossy black? I forgot all about that finish until I read this story this morning.
 
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They can't, or choose not to? Plenty of stores will sell you devices that have left the store before. We're talking consumer electronics, not condoms. It's usually not illegal. But this only bodes well for Apple - transparency is never unwelcome.
assuming you are not dealing with a shady store - most stores (best buy, micro center, etc) will normally resale the item as 'Open box' at a lower price and definitely not try to pass it off as new.
 
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The price is not as good as I expected (iPhone 6s series is having 15-18% off while 7 series is only 10-12% off).
But good choice for those who's not too sure to go for 8/8+.

Refurb is as good as new one. it just doesn't have fancy new box. You get all apple basic warranty.
 
Refurbished is just another word for secondhand, 10% off is way too low




Not in The Netherlands.(might be even in lots more countries in Europe)

They refurb them before selling them. Not the same as selling a used phone.
 
Because they can no longer sell an item that has left their store as new. If you buy a phone and use it for 10 days and return it during the 14-day return window, Apple can't resell it as new. If you buy an iPhone and return it in the original, unwrapped packaging the same day, Apple can't resell it as new. These phones undergo an extensive QA process to make sure they are up to par before they are then resold as refurbished.

By all accounts, refurbished Apple products are more extensively tested before they go out the door than new products. I have bought dozens of refurbished Apple products. Only one had ANY signs of use.

I'm not saying call them "new", I'm saying if Apple believes that, why dont they just sell them refurbished but with a $10 discount.

Since it is not a $10 discount but a larger one, Apple believes them to be not the same.
 
serious people buy refurbish phones or other tech not wise decision

Maybe he should have said “serious people buy refurbished phones and other tech”

Have been purchasing Apple hardware since Macintosh & Apple II c days and since the G4 purchasing refurbished exclusively.

The savings is significant and all of the machines are still operational today.

If you are looking for a car may I suggest dealer fleet, certified pre-owned is the way to go. Lower price. Longer warranty. Documented service.

Unless you have money to burn go refurbished or lease if you need the latest and greatest.
 
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