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Truth meter check: Are iphone 5's in white boxes truly new?

L

lamenramen

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 14, 2012
129
0
Hello,

Went to the genius bar today and wanted a replacement.
It would come out of a white box.

I told them that I do not believe that the iphones are new that come out of white boxes. They are ones that are customer returns. Given the fact that very few people return an iphone b/c they don't like one after using one, I believe that these units are likely scratched/dead pixels/dirt, or other general unpleasantness.

The manager of that store told me that the white box ones come in with the shipments of the brand new retail box units each day. And they are too new to have refurbished iphone 5's. She said that they are not refurbished. She said that any iphone, even if refurbished, would have a brand new screen, battery, back plate, everything. The only thing that might be reused is the processor or other "nonconsumable" parts.

How truthful was she? She was trying to steer me to a replacement instead of returning and buying a new one whenever they get more stock in, likely in a month.

I could care less what they call it. I just do not want to keep inheriting other people's problems, which is the only reason I think that I have to buy brand new.
 
Does it really matter? Most of the time refurbished works better than brand new.
 
No returned iPhones are placed directly into the white box but are refurbished first. However, it's too early for refurbished iPhones to find their way into the white box as of now and it'll happen around the 2 month mark. All white box replacement iPhones are new at this point.
 
lamenramen said:
Hello,

Went to the genius bar today and wanted a replacement.
It would come out of a white box.

I told them that I do not believe that the iphones are new that come out of white boxes. They are ones that are customer returns. Given the fact that very few people return an iphone b/c they don't like one after using one, I believe that these units are likely scratched/dead pixels/dirt, or other general unpleasantness.

The manager of that store told me that the white box ones come in with the shipments of the brand new retail box units each day. And they are too new to have refurbished iphone 5's. She said that they are not refurbished. She said that any iphone, even if refurbished, would have a brand new screen, battery, back plate, everything. The only thing that might be reused is the processor or other "nonconsumable" parts.

How truthful was she? She was trying to steer me to a replacement instead of returning and buying a new one whenever they get more stock in, likely in a month.
Click to expand...

I also believe that they are too new to go through the refurb cycle yet.
But what they have is a bunch of them set aside in white boxes for people that break them or their screens cracked and pay out of warranty or Applecare plus, defective units etc..
Those you will not take out of a box that has the usb wire, headphones and charger since you will only give them the phone and then send the defective or broken iphone 5 back to Apple to refurbish it and return it to stores.
Coming out and saying I dont believe those are new or anything like that is pretty ignorant. And even if they were refurbished its perfectly legal and fine for them to replace it with such. Wether you like it or not.

And she was right saying even if refurbished, would have a brand new screen, battery, back plate, everything. The only thing that might be reused is the processor or other "nonconsumable" parts.
Apple's refurbished iphones are top notch and most times even better than new and you will not be able to tell apart from a brand new out of the box iphone.
 
lamenramen said:
Hello,

Went to the genius bar today and wanted a replacement.
It would come out of a white box.

I told them that I do not believe that the iphones are new that come out of white boxes. They are ones that are customer returns. Given the fact that very few people return an iphone b/c they don't like one after using one, I believe that these units are likely scratched/dead pixels/dirt, or other general unpleasantness.

The manager of that store told me that the white box ones come in with the shipments of the brand new retail box units each day. And they are too new to have refurbished iphone 5's. She said that they are not refurbished. She said that any iphone, even if refurbished, would have a brand new screen, battery, back plate, everything. The only thing that might be reused is the processor or other "nonconsumable" parts.

How truthful was she? She was trying to steer me to a replacement instead of returning and buying a new one whenever they get more stock in, likely in a month.

I could care less what they call it. I just do not want to keep inheriting other people's problems, which is the only reason I think that I have to buy brand new.
Click to expand...

OP what did end up doing? I mean you don't work there and her explanation seems really deceitful. Even though she is the manager I don't think she knows what she is talking about. Did you go to Apple's express link to get a guarantee new iPhone by booking and filling this form HERE?
 
So let me make sure I understand your post completely...


You believe the genius and manager of a apple store lied to you, and you are willing to trust completely random people on the Internet?
 
Bottom line

Go to Settings, General -> About

And check the Model Number

You will be able to tell the difference between new and one that is built as a replacement.

Oh, and white boxes are new to you.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
No returned iPhones are placed directly into the white box but are refurbished first. However, it's too early for refurbished iPhones to find their way into the white box as of now and it'll happen around the 2 month mark. All white box replacement iPhones are new at this point.
Click to expand...

Agreed. OP is one of those people who really has no idea what he's talking about.
 
acorntoy said:
So let me make sure I understand your post completely...


You believe the genius and manager of a apple store lied to you, and you are willing to trust completely random people on the Internet?
Click to expand...

It is obvious OP is the apple oracle and his 'subjective' gut instinct is so tuned with (alternate) reality that his word as an end customer would know more about the inner workings of products from the Apple employees. That and he must talk to his fellow whinny friends here first.
 
Reason I brought the post up is b/c I replaced an iphone 4 about 6 months after it was released. The replacement was a refurb unit, and they told me it was new. It wasn't. You can't sell a car as new even if it's been re-fit from brand new spare parts. That's what the word refurbished means.

The replacement iphone 5 I had was not new. The back plastic had clearly been taken off and replaced again, as there was dirt and some general grime underneath it. No brand new unit would have had that much dirt and general grime on it.

Thus the reason for the post. But thanks for the general meanness, everyone. Appreciate the insults. And yes, I would trust random people on the internet because people on the forum know alot more than the people working at Apple.
 
lamenramen said:
Reason I brought the post up is b/c I replaced an iphone 4 about 6 months after it was released. The replacement was a refurb unit, and they told me it was new. It wasn't. You can't sell a car as new even if it's been re-fit from brand new spare parts. That's what the word refurbished means.

The replacement iphone 5 I had was not new. The back plastic had clearly been taken off and replaced again, as there was dirt and some general grime underneath it. No brand new unit would have had that much dirt and general grime on it.

Thus the reason for the post. But thanks for the general meanness, everyone. Appreciate the insults. And yes, I would trust random people on the internet because people on the forum know alot more than the people working at Apple.
Click to expand...

OP do you always like your own posts? Didn't read your post.. i tuned out after you said something about something whiny.
 
I'm also wondering if white boxes are refurbished! I don't know how long it takes to refurbish an iPhone but I'm guessing it's too early.
 
On the other hand say the white boxes are returned units that have had a look over. And say that is an internal Apple policy to exchange with other exchanges. What can you do about it? Accept it and move on or return your iPhone completely.
 
richmds said:
On the other hand say the white boxes are returned units that have had a look over. And say that is an internal Apple policy to exchange with other exchanges. What can you do about it? Accept it and move on or return your iPhone completely.
Click to expand...

Bingo.
That's their policy. Like it or leave it and same with every single manufacturer out there.
You dont hand in a used device months later and get brand new ones.
They either try to fix the issue with yours or give you a refurbished unit. Not much you can do about it.
Get your money back if its under 30 days, that's all.
 
lamenramen said:
Reason I brought the post up is b/c I replaced an iphone 4 about 6 months after it was released. The replacement was a refurb unit, and they told me it was new. It wasn't. You can't sell a car as new even if it's been re-fit from brand new spare parts. That's what the word refurbished means.
Click to expand...

They lied if they said it was new, as they're most certainly refurbished at the 6 month mark.

The replacement iphone 5 I had was not new. The back plastic had clearly been taken off and replaced again, as there was dirt and some general grime underneath it. No brand new unit would have had that much dirt and general grime on it.
Click to expand...

I bet the white box was opened but a customer rejected it after inspection so they re-applied the back plastic for another customer (namely you). It doesn't mean it wasn't new from factory.
 
When will everyone realize that this constant OCD swapping of phones has accelerated the refurb process???

What used to take months now has plenty of inventory thanks to the folks who "deserve" a flawless, mass produced, daily use electronic.

There are now PLENTY of refurbs!!! How long do you think it takes to put a new shell on a return and box it up??? Months???

Come on! It's NOT too soon. Keep telling yourself that though lol...
 
itjw said:
When will everyone realize that this constant OCD swapping of phones has accelerated the refurb process???

What used to take months now has plenty of inventory thanks to the folks who "deserve" a flawless, mass produced, daily use electronic.

There are now PLENTY of refurbs!!! How long do you think it takes to put a new shell on a return and box it up??? Months???

Come on! It's NOT too soon. Keep telling yourself that though lol...
Click to expand...

It used to be that the real OCD (or rather, anal-retentive) people were responsible for most of them, but now we have millions of iPhones waiting to be refurbished thanks to the stupid workers and/or their OC supervisors who allowed those obviously predamaged iPhones full of nicks and scuffs to make their way into retail.
 
They aren't waiting. Demand is off the charts. Why would Apple wait to produce refurbs???

To make sure you get a brand new one when a speck sized nick causes a tantrum?

Nope. Refurbs are here to stay folks! White is not all right! Chant it!!!
 
Had plenty of white box iphones over the years. Thet are fully refurbed. New case and screen. I will say though i did once get one with someone elses email address on it in the appstore!!!
 
According to the genius I talked to, they are all brand new (for now). I believe they are required by law to disclose if you are getting a refurbished product (notice how any refurbished unit has to be clearly marked as such in an advertisement).

Also, if you will notice, I believe refurbished units come in a black plastic casing. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but every replacement phone I have seen that was refurbed was in this black plastic case with foam inside.

When I got my replacement phone, it looked BRAND NEW. I mean, I have opened up new iphone 5s with plastic wrapping and it had fingerprints on it (dunno how, I guess the factory workers).

Also, the white box replacement had a different activation process, an additional step before the regular activation process, that warned me (after I put in my SIM) that I would be locked to Verizon if I clicked continue (and there was no option to continue without accepting).

On my original phone, it didn't ask me to lock it to Verizon or confirm it.

I dunno what that means, but if someone coudl confirm it.
 
NovemberWhiskey said:
According to the genius I talked to, they are all brand new (for now). I believe they are required by law to disclose if you are getting a refurbished product (notice how any refurbished unit has to be clearly marked as such in an advertisement).

Also, if you will notice, I believe refurbished units come in a black plastic casing. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but every replacement phone I have seen that was refurbed was in this black plastic case with foam inside.

When I got my replacement phone, it looked BRAND NEW. I mean, I have opened up new iphone 5s with plastic wrapping and it had fingerprints on it (dunno how, I guess the factory workers).

Also, the white box replacement had a different activation process, an additional step before the regular activation process, that warned me (after I put in my SIM) that I would be locked to Verizon if I clicked continue (and there was no option to continue without accepting).

On my original phone, it didn't ask me to lock it to Verizon or confirm it.

I dunno what that means, but if someone coudl confirm it.
Click to expand...

Then he lied every single white boxed unit is a refurb!
 
Gav2k said:
There all refurb'd none are new.
Click to expand...

Gav2k said:
Then he lied every single white boxed unit is a refurb!
Click to expand...

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. They have white boxes on day one for replacement purposes. How do you think they got refurbished on the day of release?

Right now, it's too early for any of them to be refurbished, but that day will come soon.
 
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