Looking at used iPhone — has "Device replaced" status
I found a used 4S for cheap – suspiciously low price, in fact. Plugged in serial number on Apple Self Service and it showed that the "device has been replaced".
But the phone is still in use, running iOS 5.01 and baseband 04.08.11. Haven’t had a chance to personally inspect the phone yet.
If it helps, I plan to jailbreak the phone after I get it anyway – can’t live without SMS+, notification toggles etc.
Talked to the seller about it and he acted innocent – said it was a gift from his sister in USA (I’m from India). I don’t buy it, but it isn’t a stolen phone either (or at least not blocked yet).
My question is, is the phone a ticking time bomb and possibly blocked in future? Should I meet the seller and inspect? Or not bother at all if there is any risk involved.
Update: Partridge, below, links to an an article by an Apple tech support about Apple denying phone support and warranty for phones with replaced status. I’m in a different country, so neither is applicable anyway, but if I take it to a store for repair and am willing to pay, will they deny it on grounds that it doesn’t have an active serial?
Applejuiced
macrumors Westmere
- Dec 16, 2012
- #2
mikeydeezy
macrumors 6502a
- Dec 16, 2012
- #3
Partridge
macrumors 6502
- Dec 16, 2012
- #4
(Which I’m 99% sure we don’t do)
. It could have been replaced, which will mean that if anything ever happens to it, you will have no tech support or warranty from Apple. (unless you’re okay with that) I’ve been getting frequent calls with people in this situation, and they’re basically SOL. I’m trying to help you guys not get screwed. **EDIT**: Okay, so some (read: most) of the information I have provided was incorrect, and I apologize. What I meant overall, was that buying a device from a source such as ebay or kijiji, could mean that the device has been replaced by another device and is not the active serial number on file. When a device gets replaced through apple they basically deactivate the serial number of the device being replaced, and as a result of this, the product will have no phone support or hardware warranty.
I don’t think I’m explaining myself clearly. Allow me to try again. I’ll put it this way: When you get a device set up to be replaced over the phone, there are two options, Standard and Express. In either case, you need to send the defective device back to Apple. When an express replacement is set up, Apple sends the new device to you first, with a hold on your credit card for the full amount of the new device. When you receive the new device, you are expected to send the defective one back. This defective device now has a "deactivated" (for lack of a better word) serial number. Now, if someone set up an express replacement with a stolen credit card, or they just didn’t bother sending back the defective device, they would now be in possession of the device with the "deactivated" serial number and the new device. Now, because it has been replaced, the device with the "deactivated" serial number no longer has hardware warranty or phone support. It will show in our system that that device has been replaced and there is nothing we can do to help the person with it over the phone. The only way for an Apple adviser to provide technical support, would be to get the active serial number. I cannot speak for the Apple Store, as it would be at their discretion if they would provide support or not (Nor am I speaking on behalf of Apple). I am not referring to vintage products, and I am not saying Apple will deny service to anyone with a second-hand device. I am simply referring to devices that have already been replaced, but not sent back to Apple as they should have been, and sold for extra profit.
How to Check if iPhone is New, Refurbished, or Replacement
If you’re buying a used iPhone or repairing an iPhone, you may wonder if you can find out if the iPhone was bought as new, is a refurbished model, or is a replacement device provided by Apple via a service request.
Wonder no more, you can use an interesting device model identifier trick to discover if an iPhone is new, refurbished, a replacement, or even personalized by engraving. This can be helpful information for buyers of used devices, if you’ve received a device as a gift or hand-me-down, if you’re troubleshooting or repairing an iPhone, and more.
How to Determine if iPhone is New, Refurbished, Replacement, or Personalized
You can decipher the device model prefix to determine the original status of an iPhone (and probably an iPad too) device, here’s how:
- Open the “Settings” app on the iPhone
- Go to “General” and then go to “About”
- Look for “Model” and then read the model identifier next to that text, it will look something like “MN572LL/A”, the first character will let you know if the device is new, refurbished, replacement, or personalized:
- M – Brand new device, meaning the device was purchased new
- F – Refurbished device, meaning the device has been through refurbishing process
- N – Replacement device, meaning the originally bought device was replaced by this model likely due to a service request
- P – Personalized device with engraving, meaning the device was customized with an engraving on purchase
That’s all there is to it, now you know how to determine if an iPhone is new, referred, replaced, or other. It’s possible there are some other identifier prefixes for iPhone devices that aren’t listed here, if you know of any do share them in the comments.
I have tested this with a handful of my own iPhone devices that I know are either new, refurbished, or replacements, and it has held up. I haven’t personally seen the “P” identifier however.
By the way, it’s important to note the model identifier shown here (like MN572LL/A) is different from the general model (like iPhone X) and model number of the iOS device (like A1822) – admittedly a bit confusing since they all have similar labels, but they are indeed entirely different things.
You can use similar tricks to sort out some details about iPhone devices by retrieving the iOS device serial number and then reading it too.
Thanks to a helpful post on the Apple Discussion forums for this neat little trick.
Are Apple Replacement Phones New? (The Complete Guide)
As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties.
Suppose your iPhone is covered under AppleCare+ service. In that case, you can quickly get Express Replacement Service which is an AppleCare+ exclusive benefit for iOS users that sends a replacement iPhone even before you have returned the damaged iPhone for your iPhone if it is damaged.
But is this Apple replacement phone new or refurbished? Let’s find out.
If you take a damaged iPhone to an Apple store within 14 days of purchase, Apple will give you a brand new phone. If your iPhone is older and you have AppleCare+, your device will be replaced from an apple store called a “service replacement device,” which is refurbished but good as new.
Most of the time, these replacement devices will not be new but refurbished, but if you are lucky and Apple has run out of refurbished models, you can get your hands on a brand new iPhone too. Keep reading to know how long Apple takes to send a replacement and why Apple will replace your iPhone.
If you are interested, pick up the best iPhones on Amazon at excellent prices here.
Table of Contents
How Long Does It Take For Apple To Send A Replacement iPhone?
You will get an iPhone replacement the same day you bring your damaged iPhone to an Apple Store for inspection. However, by using Apple Express Service, you can get a replacement within 3-5 days.
How Apple Express Replacement Service Works
- You contact Apple to request Express Replacement Service.
- Apple would send you the replacement iPhone within 3-5 days with instructions and packaging to send back your damaged iPhone.
- After you have received the replacement, you can then send your damaged phone to Apple within the next ten business days.
The replacement phone comes with factory settings in a plain white box without any labels or graphics. Inside, you will find the replacement phone with a unique model number starting with an N. There won’t be any accessories in the box.
The replacement phone will most likely be new if your iPhone model is the latest. However, if you have an older model, you will most likely get a refurbished replacement. In any case, you cannot specify whether it is a new phone or a refurbished one.
But even if you do get a refurbished model, don’t forget that Apple has refurbished them. So it is far better than any refurbished models found at third-party repair shops. That is because Apple turns your old device into a new one by replacing the battery, screen, and even the case (in some instances), with newer ones. So you can rest assured that even a refurbished device by Apple is as good as new.
It is important to note that Express delivery has no charges whatsoever. And even if you have to pay any fees, that will be for the phone replacement. But if your products fall under Apple Limited Warranty, AppleCare+, or consumer law, there won’t be any fees at all for the replacement either.
However, if your phone is damaged and falls under the “accidental damage” category, then you will have to pay $99. This applies to people covered under AppleCare+ insurance for ALL eligible iPhones models. To see if the Apple warranty covers water damage, check our article.
What Reasons Will Apple Replace iPhone?
If faulty of the iPhone was not due to your negligence but rather damage occurring due to Apple’s own hardware or software, Apple will replace the iPhone. All damage outside of Apple’s control, such as water damage or accidental fall damage, is outside Apple’s warranty.
When Apple products have a problem faced by multiple users, Apple issues a free replacement program where you’d get all new iPhones in exchange for your damaged iPhone just like they did with iPhone 5, whose power button was prone to failure.
But even if that fault in your iPhone is not common, you can still take it to an Apple Store to get it checked. If it was not caused due to your negligence, you could get a replacement as Apple takes its product’s failure very seriously.
Problems with the camera, swollen battery, Wi-Fi, power failures, and any internal failures are all reasons for you to ask for a replacement phone. You have to demonstrate the issue and be convincing enough to make the Apple technician realize that the problem is, in fact, with the product and not due to your negligence.
You can fall back on your consumer rights, AppleCare+, or the one-year warranty. Once you have proved the problem is the device itself rather than developing over months of use, you will most likely get a replacement phone.
So be confident and do not tell lies or make excuses. Apple employees are very good at catching your lies. Truthfully share your problem, and if they cannot repair the issue, you will get your hands on a replacement phone.
Speaking of replacing, if your MacBook screen is damaged and you plan to get it replaced, check my article before you go ahead with the replacement because it might not be worth it.
Что такое replacement device у apple
We stand in solidarity with numerous people who need access to the API including bot developers, people with accessibility needs (r/blind) and 3rd party app users (Apollo, Sync, etc.)
Just curious if any of you received a check from the “Replacement Device Lawsuit” this week. This is apparently a class action suit that Apple was hit with over their practice of giving customers remanufactured phones for AppleCare warranty replacements.
I got one for a whopping $14.45 but they got my name wrong on the check. The check expires on May 30 and the only way to correct the record is to mail them a correction request via the US Postal Service.
I’m curious how many of you received a check and if the name on yours was wrong too?