iPhone 5 or earlier F in Apple serial number

[gadget123]

Bought this on eBay it means it’s a refurb right? Sellers disputing this need a quick answer thanks

 

[Jackbequickly]

M = New

N = Replacement

P = Personalized

F = Refurbished.

 

[Janemcneil]

Are you talking about the serial number starting with F? or the Model number? If it's the model number F that's refurbished. But a serial number starting with F is a factory, there is F1, F2, FK, those are Foxconn.

 

[canuckRus]

Sent a replacement 6S SerialNo beginning "F" but had new MacBook Air in 2020 and have since purchased new iPhone 12Mini and new iPad 6Mini all beginning with "F".

 

[wine99]

M = New

N = Replacement

P = Personalized

F = Refurbished.

This is only true for the model number. An F in the serial means it originates from the Foxconn Zhengzhou factory.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Decoding Apple serials (where & when hardware was assembled) 1983–2021; and Apple Model Numbers, 1977–present

Decoding Apple serials (where & when hardware was assembled, 1983–2021); and Apple Model Numbers, 1977–present Last updated: 19 May 2023 OVERVIEW This WikiPost provides, as complete as possible, a description of the Apple serial number syntax used for all Apple hardware between 1983 (ca...

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Apple Begins Transition to Randomized Serial Numbers With Purple iPhone 12

MacRumors previously reported about Apple's plan to switch to randomized serial numbers for future products starting in early 2021, and this...

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How to Find Mac Order Numbers: EveryMac.com

How to locate the Order Number (MB467LL/A) for different Macs, limitations of using Order Numbers for Mac identification, and more.

everymac.com

@Jackbequickly is correct about the order/model number identifiers.

 

[NoBoMac]

^This.

And if product is new-ish, there is no factory information in the s/n. 10 character s/n do not have factory info. For example, my iPhone 13 Mini is L9 for first two which does not line-up with any plant codes.

But since this thread is dealing with old gear, should be 12 and can play the decode game that @MacCheetah3 referenced. As mentioned in the link, 2021 Apple started to use random s/n.