Last weekend the receiver on my iPhone 6 stopped working. I had AppleCare+ so I went to the Apple Store to get it replaced the employee helping me brought out a phone in a very thin white box (definitely not a retail box) I asked her if it was a refurbished phone or new. Explaining that I'd rather buy a new phone then get a refurb. She said it was definitely new but that's how they receive their replacement phones. Can anyone confirm what this employee told me?
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Apple Store replacement iPhones
- Thread starter Msky05
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They are "remanufactured".
Phones turned in to Apple have their housing replaced, the battery replaced and all parts are tested. Any part that fails is replaced with a new part. When done, Apple runs that phone through a quality control check that is more rigorous than the one they run new phones through. If it fails, they fix it and run the test again.
Some new phones are diverted off the line as the white box replacements. These get mixed with the remanufactured phones so you never can tell.
The quality, ultimately, is the same as a brand new phone and a lot of times even better as the remanufactured phones benefit from the experience Apple gains with the build process this late in the game. You can't tell the difference. And Apple still gives you warranty on the replacement.
Phones turned in to Apple have their housing replaced, the battery replaced and all parts are tested. Any part that fails is replaced with a new part. When done, Apple runs that phone through a quality control check that is more rigorous than the one they run new phones through. If it fails, they fix it and run the test again.
Some new phones are diverted off the line as the white box replacements. These get mixed with the remanufactured phones so you never can tell.
The quality, ultimately, is the same as a brand new phone and a lot of times even better as the remanufactured phones benefit from the experience Apple gains with the build process this late in the game. You can't tell the difference. And Apple still gives you warranty on the replacement.
Also early on in a new model year, replacements are almost always new since apple does not yet have an inventory of remanufactured phones to draw on. So for example, you buy an iPhone Se Monday (or when its released), and two days later you bring it back because of a problem. You'll get a new phone then.
That's true Mike.
I'd also mention that there are some people out there that assume that if they break their old phone around the time Apple releases a new phone that they'll get some sort of upgrade to the new phone.
Never the case. Apple always has plenty of stock to give you back EXACTLY what you turned in, no more and no less.
There are of course rare instances, but these are the exceptions to the rule.
hey i totally believe all of this to be true; i'm just curious how you obtained this information
It's common info here on the forums as OP's question has been asked MANY times.
The source I believe was originally an Apple employee who posted here.
I can't see how the reconditioned phone could be better than a new one. Same sure but not better. Imagine if the consumers find out that there is a silent hardware revision that fixes a flaw and those affected don't get a free replacement unless they have Apple Care!
LOL, happens every year an iPhone is released. And it's better in the sense it goes through an actually testing process.
Where as new iPhones probably 1 in 5000 get tested and then the whole batch gets ok'd
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Not to mention its outlined in Apple.com
Apple Certified Refurbished Products
Frequently Asked Questions:
(1) What are Apple Certified Refurbished Products?
Apple Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned Apple products that undergo Apple's stringent refurbishment process prior to being offered for sale. While only some units are returned due to technical issues, all units undergo Apple's stringent quality refurbishment process.
Each Apple Certified Refurbished Product:
- is fully tested (including full burn-in testing).
- is refurbished with replacement parts for any defective modules identified in testing.
- is put through a thorough cleaning process and inspection.
- is repackaged (including appropriate manuals, cables, new boxes, etc.).
- includes the operating software originally shipped with the unit and the custom software offered with that system. See each products "Learn More" for more details.
- is given a new refurbished part number and serial number.
- is placed into a Final QA inspection prior to being added to sellable refurbished stock.
(2) What should I expect when I purchase an Apple Certified Refurbished Product?
- Substantial savings
- A fully functional unit with complete documentation
- The assurance that the unit meets Apple's premiere quality standards, and that its defective components have been replaced by genuine Apple components
(3) Can I purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan for my Apple Certified Refurbished Product?
All Apple Certified Refurbished Products are covered by Apple's One-Year Limited Warranty. For extended coverage, you have the option of purchasing the AppleCare Protection Plan with your Apple Certified Refurbished Product. The AppleCare Protection Plan extends the complimentary coverage on your Apple Certified Refurbished Product to up to three years of world-class support for Mac, and up to two years of world-class support for iPod, iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV.
(4) A refurbished item that I wanted is no longer available. How can I ensure that I get an item when it's in stock?
Refurbished supply is usually very limited and we often run out of refurbished inventory. We recommend that you act quickly if you see an item that you like. A product will be reserved for you once you've completed checking out and we've received full authorized payment. Please note that some payment methods take longer than others and that availability of a refurbished product is not guaranteed until we receive your full payment.
Thank you! Was looking for something along those lines!
No problem. It's kinda buried in the refurb store on the site.
I had my 6 replaced and when it arrived it had a defective speaker, lots of feedback and distortion when on full volume...
Yep, I've had bad replacements too. Maybe sheer volume Apple has to deal with or the odd ones slip through the net...
This is mostly true, but some of this is just more copywriting from Apple. Think about it: all the Geniuses are trained to tell us these are new phones. That is what they told the OP. But we know this isn't true. That they are remanufactured.
If they are lying about that, then who knows what else they are lying about. All that stuff about "more stringent testing" than new phones is nonsense imo. Brand new phones coming off the line? I don't think so. Maybe new defective phones that fail certain testing or quality control standards. Or phones coming off a B-line.
I have been through something like 5+ of these supposedly "new" phones, and they have all been poorer quality than retail box phones. My bad white box genius bar phones:
1. One time, a Genius took a phone out of the box, and immediately said "nope. let me get you a new one". Apparently it had a loose battery right out of the box.
2. Nicks/scratches on the casing
3. Won't place or receive calls
4. GF's phone came with casing damage, and something was wrong where the screen image would randomly flicker and spazz out.
5. Broken sleep/wake button
I believe they are being remanufactured. I believe there is SOME quality control standard. But I do NOT believe that they end up like new phones. Nor do I believe the quality control to be higher than that of new phones.
Think about it: they are remanufacturing to save money.
I believe they are remanufacturing to save landfills. Yes, they save money. But would you rather they just toss the phone without saving the parts? Or even if it's a recyclable deal, without getting all the useable bits from it, such as the silver and gold, cadmium, etc?
My experience is not yours. Which doesn't prove that I am right or that you are wrong. It's just my own experience. I've had three iPhone 5's and that's it. The first had a bad mic, the second a swelling battery and the third has been just fine in every way. Sitting right next to my 6s+ as I type this.
The replacement 6+ I got when I cracked my screen last year was superior to the one it replaced and I was sorry to turn it in to T-Mobile when I ported from Sprint.
I'm not saying that Apple has such an eye on things that nothing gets past them. There are most certainly defective phones that never should have been allowed through (you got a few of them it seems). But overall, this is the general process.
Perhaps then we are just disagreeing about the level of quality that is the end result?
Simply saying the phone is "new" is much less of a headache then having to explain the remanufacturing process each and every time. I'm guessing a lot of customers would be antsy about not having a straight out of a fresh retail box replacement unit despite the testing each device goes through.
All I am saying is that no one should believe in the copywriting that these are new phones, or remanufactured and for all intents and purposes, better than new because of higher standards (which is BS imo).
I would prefer Apple just saying that they are remanufactured, and leave it at that. Maybe extend the warranty to 1 year from issuance of the white box phone instead of to the end of your existing warranty for the old phone.
And if you are within, say, 1-2 months from purchase, Apple gives you the option to get a retail box phone instead of the remanufactured phone. It sucks if you are 30 days from purchase, and have to get a remanufactured phone.
Reminds me of when my wife bought a "cerified pre-owned" vehicle that had undergone 6,000 point inspection (ok, little bit of an exaggeration). Somehow they missed an A/C unit that was so defective that it killed the engine when you turned on the A/C.
That is the definition of refurbished. Calling it remanufactured doesn't make it better.
Just a heads up with the iPhone6. I had 4 "replacements".. Every one of them had a major hardware issue. Quality control on the 6 seems to have slipped. I was about done with apple until a store manager went out of his way and made it right.
Happy now, but I will look else where for phone insurance.
Happy now, but I will look else where for phone insurance.
LOL! I wasn't the one who coined the term for it.
However, the single biggest difference between the two terms is this. Refurbished devices are handled by third partys. Remanufactured devices are handled by Apple.
But I suspect the real reason Apple would use the term "remanufactured", if you could get them to use it, is that "refurbished" has taken on a bad connotation because so many third parties do a very bad job at it.
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Same and, in a way, better... Better only in one way: better checked after the refurbishment process.