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iPhone 5S Factory

A

anonyme

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 17, 2014
19
1
Hello,

I bought an iPhone 5s in November and I exchanged it for a new one in a white box. I have two questions :

- Does this iPhone is refurbished or new ? ( I exchanged it in early November)

- I saw on the web that all the people who had exchanged their iPhone 5S for a new one with the "white box" had a serial number with "C3" at the beginning, which means it has been manufactured in C3 factory, in China. Do all the iPhone 5S exchanged in white boxes are manufactured in C3 factory or did you receive an iPhone with another serial number ?

Thank you for your answers !
 
Last edited:
anonyme said:
Hello,

I bought an iPhone 5s in November and I exchanged it for a new one in a white box. I have two questions :

- Does this iPhone is refurbished or new ? ( I exchanged it in early November)
Click to expand...

It may or may not be refurbished. In early November, I imagine it is probably a new unit.

- I saw on the web that all the people who had exchanged their iPhone 5S for a new one with the "white box" had a serial number with "C3" at the beginning, which means it has been manufactured in C3 factory, in China. Do all the iPhone 5S exchanged in white boxes are manufactured in C3 factory or did you receive an iPhone with another serial number ?

Thank you for your answers !
Click to expand...

Mine says F2.

Do a google search for iPhone serial number decoders. They can give you more details on your phone.
 
You'll know it's refurbished when your battery starts dying prematurely near your one year warranty or the screen goes on the fritz :p As stated above it is most likely new, but no one knows because if enough people are returning/exchanging then the refurbished will show up earlier.
 
blarivee said:
You'll know it's refurbished when your battery starts dying prematurely near your one year warranty or the screen goes on the fritz :p
Click to expand...

Someone commented on that (seriously), but all Apple-refurbished iPhones get a new case, screen and battery. But defective batteries can happen to new or refurb so just get it exchanged again if it's a bad apple.

Refurbished iPhones from the carriers may not necessarily get a new battery/screen though.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Someone commented on that (seriously), but all Apple-refurbished iPhones get a new case, screen and battery. But defective batteries can happen to new or refurb so just get it exchanged again if it's a bad apple.

Refurbished iPhones from the carriers may not necessarily get a new battery/screen though.
Click to expand...

Personally, I am a little skeptical that is still true. With Apple's quest to lower repair cost (in store screen replacement, battery replacement, piecewise component replacement), I think they only repair/diagnose the reason for the return/exchange and put them back into circulation (maybe you still get a new case because I don't know if they can reuse the IMEI numbers). Like you said if the battery dies, the customer can just exchange for another one. Cost wise it doesn't make sense to throw out (and recycle) the battery and put a new one in every time. This is just my opinion.
 
blarivee said:
Personally, I am a little skeptical that is still true. With Apple's quest to lower repair cost (in store screen replacement, battery replacement, piecewise component replacement), I think they only repair/diagnose the reason for the return/exchange and put them back into circulation (maybe you still get a new case because I don't know if they can reuse the IMEI numbers). Like you said if the battery dies, the customer can just exchange for another one. Cost wise it doesn't make sense to throw out (and recycle) the battery and put a new one in every time. This is just my opinion.
Click to expand...

That's your purely unsubstantiated opinion so it's best not to spread this FUD. Yes, Apple may be switching to in-store repairs to lower repair costs but that doesn't mean Apple is automatically ceasing to give refurbished iPhones a new case, screen and battery. If that were true, we'd hear it right here in threads asking why their replacement iPhones are full of scratches, have high re-charge cycles, etc. (especially with the many anal-retentive members who frequent this forum).
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
That's your purely unsubstantiated opinion so it's best not to spread this FUD. Yes, Apple may be switching to in-store repairs to lower repair costs but that doesn't mean Apple is automatically ceasing to give refurbished iPhones a new case, screen and battery. If that were true, we'd hear it right here in threads asking why their replacement iPhones are full of scratches, have high re-charge cycles, etc. (especially with the many anal-retentive members who frequent this forum).
Click to expand...

You know, I've heard this too, but I don't think Apple ever claims that they replace the case, screen and battery. Here is all I can find on their website:

http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/apple_certified.html

That being said, I've always found that refurbished units are "like new" condition when I receive them.
 
T5BRICK said:
You know, I've heard this too, but I don't think Apple ever claims that they replace the case, screen and battery. Here is all I can find on their website:

http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/apple_certified.html

That being said, I've always found that refurbished units are "like new" condition when I receive them.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that Apple refurbs cover all of their products (not just the iPhone) so that link is extremely broad and Apple rarely confirms many things we know to be true. An iMac, for example, may or may not be given a new case depending on the condition and whether it's merely opened and refused in store. Many members can attest to the fact that refurbished iPhones are at least given a new case, screen and battery. Otherwise, we will hear it from anal-retentive members in numerous threads. They do a good job of sniffing out all and any signs of use that most of us would normally overlook.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Keep in mind that Apple refurbs cover all of their products (not just the iPhone) so that link is extremely broad and Apple rarely confirms many things we know to be true. An iMac, for example, may or may not be given a new case depending on the condition and whether it's merely opened and refused in store. Many members can attest to the fact that refurbished iPhones are at least given a new case, screen and battery. Otherwise, we will hear it from anal-retentive members in numerous threads. They do a good job of sniffing out all and any signs of use that most of us would normally overlook.
Click to expand...

I understand that is the typical experience, I was just pointing out that I don't believe it is actually documented anywhere.

I always buy refurbished if it is available(and I don't have a problem with white box replacements), so I'm not trying to dissuade anyone else from doing so.
 
T5BRICK said:
I understand that is the typical experience, I was just pointing out that I don't believe it is actually documented anywhere.
Click to expand...

That's typical of Apple. We can't even get them to document actual bugs (especially with Rev A products) until they're fixed, sometimes with many months in between.
 
blarivee said:
Cost wise it doesn't make sense to throw out (and recycle) the battery and put a new one in every time. This is just my opinion.
Click to expand...

Right... because it makes much more sense that they'd risk a problem arising from reusing the same battery (by far the cheapest of the 3 new components) instead of spending the $3.60 on a new one. :rolleyes:
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
That's your purely unsubstantiated opinion so it's best not to spread this FUD. Yes, Apple may be switching to in-store repairs to lower repair costs but that doesn't mean Apple is automatically ceasing to give refurbished iPhones a new case, screen and battery. If that were true, we'd hear it right here in threads asking why their replacement iPhones are full of scratches, have high re-charge cycles, etc. (especially with the many anal-retentive members who frequent this forum).
Click to expand...

Neither do you have evidence to support nowadays they still give returned units new screen and battery. I am allowed my opinions. This is an open forum. I see you like to attack people when they don't agree with you.
 
Last edited:
Shrink said:
According to this site, refurbs have new batteries.

Take it for what it's worth...
Click to expand...

That article was written in 2012 and back then it may be true (which by the way I agree that the units back then have new batteries and so on). The doubt was cast when they started repairing damaged parts in store instead of giving out white box units (which I think started mid 2013).
 
blarivee said:
I am allowed my opinions. This is an open forum. I see you like to attack people when they don't agree with you.
Click to expand...

Telling people their opinion is unsupported by evidence is not an attack. I did say you're entitled to your unsubstantiated opinion.

blarivee said:
That article was written in 2012 and back then it may be true (which by the way I agree that the units back then have new batteries and so on). The doubt was cast when they started repairing damaged parts in store instead of giving out white box units (which I think started mid 2013).
Click to expand...

And guess what, you have no evidence to support that.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Telling people their opinion is unsupported by evidence is not an attack. I did say you're entitled to your unsubstantiated opinion.



And guess what, you have no evidence to support that.
Click to expand...

True, but telling people what they can and cannot do is.

By your argument that author of that article made an unsubstantiated opinion as well. Let's tell the author not to "spread this FUD"...
 
Last edited:
Based on what is said that Apple will always put on new cases, batteries, screen for the refurb iPhones, I wonder if Apple just throw away those cases, batteries, screen for new ones to be put on when refurbishing the iPhones returned by those people who open their purchases in the Apple store & then return on the spot because they did not like the minor scratches on the iPhone bezel or yellow screen out of the box.... :confused:

I'm sure there are lots of such people. I mean just look at the current threads on returning iPad Air/rMini due to the screen "defects", where some of them are returning up to 10 units each.... :eek:

That makes me wonder if the new cases, batteries, screen being put on refurb Apple products is still happening.
 
SPEEDwithJJ said:
That makes me wonder if the new cases, batteries, screen being put on refurb Apple products is still happening.
Click to expand...

If you really believe that, then explain why we're not getting a flurry of threads with "I got a replacement iPhone and the battery doesn't have a full capacity!," "I paid Apple $149 to replace my screen and they gave me a bum screen!," and the like?
 
I'm not fully disagreeing with what you said. Your posts make sense up to a certain extent in my opinion. Let's focus on just the batteries. What you said about putting in a new battery for the refurb iPhones make sense in phones that have seen some use. But....

JayLenochiniMac said:
If you really believe that, then explain why we're not getting a flurry of threads with "I got a replacement iPhone and the battery doesn't have a full capacity!," "I paid Apple $149 to replace my screen and they gave me a bum screen!," and the like?
Click to expand...

So the batteries in those iPhones that are opened up by customers (who are super "picky" in everything) in the Apple store & returned straight away will show up as not having full capacity every time? I bet the batteries in those cases have not even been thru 1 recharge cycle or am I wrong? If Apple is to re-use such batteries, how will you even be able to tell that it is "used"? If Apple chose not to re-use such batteries, why not?

:confused:

P.S. Please kindly excuse my stupidity & ignorance if the above questions offend you or anyone else. :(
 
Last edited:
SPEEDwithJJ said:
So the batteries in those iPhones that are opened up by customers (who are super "picky" in everything) in the Apple store & returned straight away will show up as not having full capacity every time? I bet the batteries in those cases have not even been thru 1 recharge cycle or am I wrong? If Apple is to re-use such batteries, how will you even be able to tell that it is "used"? :confused:
Click to expand...

The customers who you call super picky still have to be able to show Apple that there is a problem and have them confirm an issue exists.

As I mentioned earlier, the cost of batteries is low enough to where it's safer for Apple to simply replace it with a new instead of risking future issues.


Problems that arise are the same as you could have with a new device.... not everything is always perfect with anything.
 
Last edited:
SPEEDwithJJ said:
I'm not fully disagreeing with what you said. Your posts make sense up to a certain extent in my opinion. Let's focus on just the batteries. What you said about putting in a new battery for the refurb iPhones make sense in phones that have seen some use. But....



So the batteries in those iPhones that are opened up by customers (who are super "picky" in everything) in the Apple store & returned straight away will show up as not having full capacity every time? I bet the batteries in those cases have not even been thru 1 recharge cycle or am I wrong? If Apple is to re-use such batteries, how will you even be able to tell that it is "used"? If Apple chose not to re-use such batteries, why not?

:confused:

P.S. Please kindly excuse my stupidity & ignorance if the above questions offend you or anyone else. :(
Click to expand...

You'd have a point except a battery costs $3.60 as previously mentioned so I'm sure they don't waste time screening for full capacity batteries.
 
anonyme said:
Hello,

I bought an iPhone 5s in November and I exchanged it for a new one in a white box. I have two questions :

- Does this iPhone is refurbished or new ? ( I exchanged it in early November)

- I saw on the web that all the people who had exchanged their iPhone 5S for a new one with the "white box" had a serial number with "C3" at the beginning, which means it has been manufactured in C3 factory, in China. Do all the iPhone 5S exchanged in white boxes are manufactured in C3 factory or did you receive an iPhone with another serial number ?

Thank you for your answers !
Click to expand...

You can detect a rufurb iPhone by checking the Modell Number. Retail Boxed new phones start with ME, example: ME432DN/A, refurb units have NE Modell Numbers: NE432DN/A
 
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