replacement phones...new or refurbs?

[glocke12]

Just had my ip4s replaced because I dropped it. I was ready to pay the $200.00 replacement fee but the genius was cool and waved it without me asking.

Replacement was a "black box" phone. Anyone know what the deal is with these? Are these just new phones set aside for replacements or refurbs? (seems kind of early for those).

 

[Jordan921]

This has been discussed to death do a search.

 

[glocke12]

This has been discussed to death do a search.

gosh excuse me...

 

[tsduke]

Just had my ip4s replaced because I dropped it. I was ready to pay the $200.00 replacement fee but the genius was cool and waved it without me asking.

Replacement was a "black box" phone. Anyone know what the deal is with these? Are these just new phones set aside for replacements or refurbs? (seems kind of early for those).

From what I've read they have been mostly new so far, but I did read a post of someone saying an Apple store already had refurbs.

What does the serial# start with?

What's the model#?

 

[isoft7]

He's right, it has been discussed quite a lot... but, to save you the trouble.

The black boxes are generally refurbs, however, as the 4s is such a new device, the odds of any phone being returned, sent back to China, repaired, tested, repackaged, shipped back and then placed in a store is little to none.

So, 99.9% chance you have a brand new phone.

Apple will place new phones in the same black boxes as replacement stock until refurbs are easier to get.

 

[iWantThat]

Refurb or not I would be happy that you got another phone without having to pay the $200 OOW fee. I figured that with applecare+, geniuses would no longer do this anymore.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

The black boxes are generally refurbs, however, as the 4s is such a new device, the odds of any phone being returned, sent back to China, repaired, tested, repackaged, shipped back and then placed in a store is little to none.

So, 99.9% chance you have a brand new phone.

Apple will place new phones in the same black boxes as replacement stock until refurbs are easier to get.

They've been "in the wild" for 3 weeks now, I would expect true refurbs to be making their way into stores at this point.

 

[glocke12]

From what I've read they have been mostly new so far, but I did read a post of someone saying an Apple store already had refurbs.

What does the serial# start with?

What's the model#?

thanks for the replies, and for the record I did search before i posted but found nothing conclusive using these search parameters. "replacement iphone4s new or refurb november 2011"

Serial number: C39gk9endxxx
Model: MD272LL

 

[AndrewR23]

thanks for the replies, and for the record I did search before i posted but found nothing conclusive using these search parameters. "replacement iphone4s new or refurb november 2011"

Serial number: C39gk9endxxx
Model: MD272LL

It is brand new. C39 was my serial before I returned it

 

[glocke12]

It is brand new. C39 was my serial before I returned it

great thanks...would have been happy either way, but happier to know it is brand new

as a side not, guess I won't have my phone going naked anymore..couldnt believe it happened, the darn thing basically flew out of my pocket.

 

[Shadowbech]

thanks for the replies, and for the record I did search before i posted but found nothing conclusive using these search parameters. "replacement iphone4s new or refurb november 2011"

Serial number: C39gk9endxxx
Model: MD272LL

Definitely a brand new phone.

From my experience, I had to replace a lot of iphone 4 due to many issue, and I kept getting replacement phones that started with 5K. The first few replacements were not 5K and started with 85, or 88. This is because I've had to replace my iphone 4 (purchased on August 2010) few times under one month. Anything after one month, I started getting 5K's.

Just be careful with your brand new phone, the odds that next time you go in for a replacement, you might get a replacement that starts with 5K.

 

[rkeato1]

Brand new, no refurbs yet - at least not at my store.

 

[Frasern1]

Mine was a brand new one.

 

[jekyoo]

Whoa, I can't believe the genius replaced your phone for free. Pretty generous of him.

With the serial # you have, it is def new. All refurbs/replacements have a specific type of serial #.

 

[Coley]

Just out of curiosity, what do the model numbers signify?
Are they ever an indicator of what factory your phone was made by, new, refurb, anything anyone might want to know?

 

[nmork]

Apple doesn't have refurbs, they have "reserialized" phones. Basically, everything is new except for the processor, memory, and maybe a few other components if they test out ok (vibrate motor, etc). It all gets put into a "new" phone with a new serial number and sent out as a replacement phone.

At this point if it's a 4S it's probably brand new regardless; usually takes a month or two for old parts to make it into new phones.

also: http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php

 

[Jimbo47]

I'm sure stores don't have any refurbs yet. If you get a replacement next week on the other hand, its probably a refurb by that point.

 

[Dreamre]

Both replacement phones had C38 serials.

 

[glocke12]

Whoa, I can't believe the genius replaced your phone for free. Pretty generous of him.

With the serial # you have, it is def new. All refurbs/replacements have a specific type of serial #.

Yeah, definitely cool of that guy, like I said I was ready and willing to pay the $200.00 for a service replacement since it was my own carelessness that caused the damage.

I've bought alot of Apple products over the past 5-6 years, have not had many issues, but have had some and have basically found that there are two types of "geniuses", one that believes in "customer satisfaction", and the second one who is a total d-bag.

Off topic but a couple of examples. had a key that popped out on my 2009 MBP which was out of warranty. I couldn't fix it so took it in to the GB. The guy took it in the back and came out 5 minutes later with it fixed for free. 6 months later I had the same thing happen, took it back to the GB but got a different genius who wanted to charge me $200.00 for a new KB. I was surprised considering my first experience. Took it back the next day and got a different genius who again fixed the key for free.

Also, when I was there last night a guy was in with his broken iPod touch. I caught part of the conversation and basically it sounds like it was damaged by the user somehow and was OOW by 14 days. Genius ended up giving the guy a service replacement and the customer walked away happy.

Some geniuses are great, some are not.

 

[Stealthipad]

My local Apple store got in it's first refurb 4S units last week.

 

[glocke12]

My local Apple store got in it's first refurb 4S units last week.

How do you know? Did you ask? Were you the recipient of one?

 

[HellDiverUK]

The casing and screens are only about $40 to replace - the mainboard is the expensive bit.

I just replaced the casing, screen, glass, battery, camera, basically everything on my 3GS except the mainboard. Cost me $45 shipped from China for the lot. Apple will be paying a lot less.

So, a refurb is probably a totally new phone except the mainboard which will be tested and wiped.