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Dkoc13

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 14, 2016
67
14
so I returned in my other iPhone X cause the screen was yellow and bought again a new iPhone X I checked the serial number and this “new phone has a week 40 date and when I turned it on the software was up to date 11.1.2... the phone is returned had a week 43 date on the serial number. Did I received a refurb? This was bought at Apple and no white box everything brand new
 
Refurbs are in a white (or black) unmarked box that is not sealed, that you get when you replace your phone with AppleCare+ or because of a warranty issue.

If you bought your phone "new" - you did not get a refurb.
 
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MigMcGuire is correct. If it comes in sealed retail box, it cannot be a refurb.

Refurb units have model number start with "F". Replacement units are new too, starts with "N". If you have "M" it's brand new retail.
  • "F": refurbished unit
  • "M": retail unit
  • "N": replacement unit
  • "P": personalized (engraved) unit
 
so I returned in my other iPhone X cause the screen was yellow and bought again a new iPhone X I checked the serial number and this “new phone has a week 40 date and when I turned it on the software was up to date 11.1.2... the phone is returned had a week 43 date on the serial number. Did I received a refurb? This was bought at Apple and no white box everything brand new
No. Because if you repurchased and got a retail box with everything it's brand new. At this point though being that it's mass produced it will vary on what production week you will get. But it doesn't really matter if it's in a retail box.
 
MigMcGuire is correct. If it comes in sealed retail box, it cannot be a refurb.

Refurb units have model number start with "F". Replacement units are new too, starts with "N". If you have "M" it's brand new retail.
  • "F": refurbished unit
  • "M": retail unit
  • "N": replacement unit
  • "P": personalized (engraved) unit
Do I look for this under part number because on my serial number it doesn’t have m in it
 
MigMcGuire is correct. If it comes in sealed retail box, it cannot be a refurb.

Refurb units have model number start with "F". Replacement units are new too, starts with "N". If you have "M" it's brand new retail.
  • "F": refurbished unit
  • "M": retail unit
  • "N": replacement unit
  • "P": personalized (engraved) unit

Can't be true. I am looking at my 7, which I bought brand new in a sealed box last year, and at my X, which I bought brand new in a sealed box two weeks ago, and the serial number of both phones starts with an 'F'.
 
Can't be true. I am looking at my 7, which I bought brand new in a sealed box last year, and at my X, which I bought brand new in a sealed box two weeks ago, and the serial number of both phones starts with an 'F'.

Not serial numbers, model numbers.
 
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Do I look for this under part number because on my serial number it doesn’t have m in it
You need to look at the model number. Usually retail box starts with M. Replacement unit in white box unit starts with N. Serial number is different and they start with C D F or G.
 
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Why are people so obsessed about this stuff 4 weeks after the phone came out?

Even if a replacement phone is a refurb, which in this case it absolutely isn’t, who cares? A refurb this early into production isn’t a used phone. It’s a rebuilt phone that somehow didn’t pass inspection at the first go around. It looks and acts new. The warranty is the same. There’s no wear and tear on the battery or storage or RAM. If anything, it’s been double inspected.

What is everyone’s fear all about? We live in a time riddled with well founded fear. Can we not add refurbished cell phones to the growing list? You people are making yourselves crazy with all the serial number and box color questions. You’re making me crazy too.
 
Why are people so obsessed about this stuff 4 weeks after the phone came out?

What is everyone’s fear all about? We live in a time riddled with well founded fear. Can we not add refurbished cell phones to the growing list? You people are making yourselves crazy with all the serial number and box color questions. You’re making me crazy too.

The reality is, tech forums are some times for those who are overly obsessive and extremists when it comes to perfection. When in reality, the majority who purchase iPhones outside of a tech forum, could care less about the simple imperfections their device has or simply don't even look for any artifacts.

Not to mention, when one thread is started about a potential issue with a new device, then everybody starts analyzing their device in every possible angle and light to see if they have it as well. It will never stop, it's how it is and will always be on here.
 
My iPhone 8 has a model number with M starting.

I guess that’s good. I bought it from the Apple store so I’d expect to be brand new. Took that plastic wrap off the box and everything. That was a good day : )
 
MigMcGuire is correct. If it comes in sealed retail box, it cannot be a refurb.

Refurb units have model number start with "F". Replacement units are new too, starts with "N". If you have "M" it's brand new retail.
  • "F": refurbished unit
  • "M": retail unit
  • "N": replacement unit
  • "P": personalized (engraved) unit
Replacement units can be refurbished. There is no way to tell.
 
Last year about a week after the iPhone 7 plus launched I had to take mine back due to issues, and since there was a shortage of phones I had to wait about 4 days for a replacement. When I picked up my replacement at the Apple store the girl handed me just a phone in the plastic wrapper only (The clear plastic style wrapper that comes on a brand new phone out of the box). No box or anything. She told me to keep everything from the original phone and just take the replacement. I don't think the phone was refurbished because of the shortage and the fact the phone had only been out a week. What kind of phone do you think Apple gave me?
 
Why are people so obsessed about this stuff 4 weeks after the phone came out?
Because in today's society no one wants anything less than perfect when they buy something. It's something that has been conditioned in society because people have been catered to for a while now.

If it's being replaced, they want nothing less than perfect in the replacement.

The word refurbished implies less than perfect.

If it's less than perfect, society is unhappy.
 
Replacement units can be refurbished. There is no way to tell.

You usually can tell it is a replacement because they come out of the back of the store with a white box with no markings and it’s not sealed. Buying new has a box with a picture on the top, sealed with a power supply etc. But yes replacement units when doing warranty or repair are usually refurbs.
 
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Because in today's society no one wants anything less than perfect when they buy something. It's something that has been conditioned in society because people have been catered to for a while now.

If it's being replaced, they want nothing less than perfect in the replacement.

The word refurbished implies less than perfect.

If it's less than perfect, society is unhappy.
This is certainly true, but when you're spending $1000+ for a phone, it's probably reasonable to expect near-perfection.
 
This is certainly true, but when you're spending $1000+ for a phone, it's probably reasonable to expect near-perfection.

Agreed to an extent. I’ve had two new cars and both have had issues that the dealer deemed acceptable. My iPhones have been near perfect. I usually see more issues with iOS than hardware.

When we are run by robots like iRobot (Will Smith movie) then I’ll probsbly expect perfection. Now with humans in China putting these together I’m not surprised there are minor issues. But yeah $1100+ is a lot every few years.
 
You usually can tell it is a replacement because they come out of the back of the store with a white box with no markings and it’s not sealed. Buying new has a box with a picture on the top, sealed with a power supply etc. But yes replacement units when doing warranty or repair are usually refurbs.

Yeah my white box was sealed with about 4 stickers with barcodes on them
 
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This is certainly true, but when you're spending $1000+ for a phone, it's probably reasonable to expect near-perfection.
There is reasonable and then there is unreasonable.

We all expect a certain satisfaction for what we pay for our devices. Some people are more or less tolerant to deviations from that satisfaction.

But I'm speaking of the unreasonable.

These are the people who get so worked up about something that no one else registers as an issue.
 
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Yeah my white box was sealed with about 4 stickers with barcodes on them

Interesting, I wonder if they unsealed mine before coming out of the back - each time I've had a replacement the top was off when they walked out of the back. Thanks for the info!
 
You usually can tell it is a replacement because they come out of the back of the store with a white box with no markings and it’s not sealed. Buying new has a box with a picture on the top, sealed with a power supply etc. But yes replacement units when doing warranty or repair are usually refurbs.

Not always though, especially this early into release of the X, Apple pulls certain amounts from inventory to be used as replacements / warranty / ect. At this stage it's safe to assume the white box is a new unit.
 
but when you're spending $1000+ for a phone, it's probably reasonable to expect near-perfection.

No, what's 'probably reasonable' is expecting the manufacturer (Apple) to stand behind their product given that defects will occur when you mass produce a commodity into the millions. If my iPhone has a defect when I receive it, I do care to know that a Company is reputable and will rectify the situation to either replace or repair the device due to the issue.
 
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