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Replacement device New or Remanufactured

What was your replacement?

  • Brand new

  • Remanufactured

Results are only viewable after voting.
D

dimitricook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 30, 2013
189
207
I have had several replacements of my iPhone 5,6s en now last week for my 7.
Love the service that Apple stores provide by replacing the whole unit. But there is some big question mark.
The Genius in the Apple store in Brussels told me that the replacement iPhone 7 unit was brand new.
When i asked him if it was remanufactured he told me that Apple always gives out new units and no remanufactured of refurbished.

So my question is

Did i really get a new device?
And what did you guys get?
 
dimitricook said:
I have had several replacements of my iPhone 5,6s en now last week for my 7.
Love the service that Apple stores provide by replacing the whole unit. But there is some big question mark.
The Genius in the Apple store in Brussels told me that the replacement iPhone 7 unit was brand new.
When i asked him if it was remanufactured he told me that Apple always gives out new units and no remanufactured of refurbished.

So my question is

Did i really get a new device?
And what did you guys get?
Click to expand...
They are required to tell you it's new (if you ask). They will never use the term refurbed.

But remanufactured is the more approrpriate term.

When a model is newly launched, getting a replacement will indeed be new for a while, but after that it's remanufactuered.

New casing, new battery, new screen, failed parts replaced.
 
Last edited:
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The model number tells you if it's a new or refurbished phone.

Just go to General > About. If your model starts with M, it's new. N is refurbished.
 
No the serial number does not tell you anything. Might be some time ago but nowadays you can't tell that via the s/n

It's easy: if you get a sealed unit with original box and extras it's new from the factory.

If you get a unit from a little white box it's a refurb.

I had issues with 6s last year and after same issues occurring over and over again with the exchange devices I got a brand new sealed device with included extras. The errors occurred again, got refunded after half a year.




According to the genius and store manager the devices out of the small box have replaced parts for every part what can wear out by standard usage. This means the casing and battery is replaced. The logicboard, display etc aren't replaced if they weren't defective.
 
Ugi said:
.....If you get a unit from a little white box it's a refurb.....
Click to expand...

Not that simple. The units in the white box are replacement units. They may be built new for that purpose or they may be remanufactured units. Either way they come with a new warranty and look exactly the same.
 
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Ask yourself these questions first.
Does it look brand new?
Does it work like brand new with no problems?
If you answered yes on both then that's all that matters and you shouldn't worry further.
All Apple replacements are top notch, new casing, battery and screen.
Some internal components might get reused but they are all tested thoroughly to pass all checks so in the end it doesn't really make a difference.
You get the original warranty transferred to the new device or at least 90 days coverage. Whatever is greater.
You'll be fine.
 
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Givmeabrek said:
Not that simple. The units in the white box are replacement units. They may be built new for that purpose or they may be remanufactured units. Either way they come with a new warranty and look exactly the same.
Click to expand...
Nope the warranty is not new
 
borgsauce said:
Few months ago my iPhone 7 started chipping at the speaker grill on its own. Took it to Apple and got a replacement unit no questions asked. The replacement I got had a serial number starting with N but was told it’s a new device. I specifically asked if it was a remanufactured device and was told it was new. Phone up Apple and gave the serial number to recheck and they confirmed again that it’s brand new and not remanufactured. I don’t think N necessarily means refurbished.
Click to expand...

What would happen if it was remanufactured?
The world would end or you would feel deep down that the replaced device has a sinister past?
 
borgsauce said:
Realism? So you think because I rechecked with them whether it was new or refurbed, it means its a problem for me? Maybe it’s my curiosity or because I like to know things? Point of my post was about keeping those who may want to know, that the N in the serial number doesn’t necessarily mean Refurbed.
Click to expand...

Its up to you, I wouldn't waste a second of my life worrying about it or chasing Apple to find out if my device is really really new or re-manufactured.
If it has a problem or doesn't look or work as brand new then I would have a problem with that but that's about as far as I would go.
 
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borgsauce said:
Few months ago my iPhone 7 started chipping at the speaker grill on its own. Took it to Apple and got a replacement unit no questions asked. The replacement I got had a serial number starting with N but was told it’s a new device. I specifically asked if it was a remanufactured device and was told it was new. Phone up Apple and gave the serial number to recheck and they confirmed again that it’s brand new and not remanufactured. I don’t think N necessarily means refurbished.
Click to expand...

N just mean's its just a replacement unit to differentiate from Retail (M), as only your device gets replaced and no new charging brick or cables, and headphones. As someone posted above, if you ask Apple Genius whether it's new or reburb, they are trained to answer you that it's new. They will never tell you if it's remanufactured. Back when the original iphone, iphone 3G iphone 3GS, and iphone 4? you could tell by the serial number, that started with 5K (I know this because I had to replace my 4 multiple times and all replacement units on those started with 5K. Not sure about 4S but after that serial number means nothing. When I had to replace 6 Plus once, the model started with N. The serial number was indistinguishable from others.
 
I care! that is why i started the topic, guys who don't care why do you reply to this topic?
Totally don't understand why you are talking in here?!

The point is that probably apple is talking ****, they tell customers that phones are new with no used parts but they are not new.
In my country, the Netherlands there was a trial and the customer got a new device from Apple.
Apple is not allowed to give customers refurbishes phones by the Dutch law.
 
dimitricook said:
I care! that is why i started the topic, guys who don't care why do you reply to this topic?
Totally don't understand why you are talking in here?!

The point is that probably apple is talking ****, they tell customers that phones are new with no used parts but they are not new.
In my country, the Netherlands there was a trial and the customer got a new device from Apple.
Apple is not allowed to give customers refurbishes phones by the Dutch law.
Click to expand...
Given that there are some things I value over others that I have discussed endlessly on this forum I can empathize with your caring about this issue.

I don't agree though. I think a lot of the times remanufactured phones can be better than new because the process takes advantage of what Apple learns during the course of the manufacturing run and the improvements that are made there.

But I get where you are coming from.
 
If the law over there requires that any replacement unit be Brand new and can't be a re manufactured unit, then it is likely brand new.
 
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