The price of a brand new iPhone is high, and thoughtful people will tend to buy slightly discounted second-hand phones, but you may want to know its past to find out whether the iPhone in your hand is an original second-hand product or a device that has been refurbished before. Fortunately, unless your phone was refurbished by an unauthorized third party, there is an easy way to identify it from the phone’s system surface.
How to check if the iPhone you have is a new one?
This simple identification method does not require disassembling the phone or hiring a professional. You only need to look at the iPhone model. Apple will have different notes on the phone model.
- Open the “Settings” app and go to “About This Mac” in “General”. In About This Mac, you can see a list of important information about the iPhone at hand, including details such as device name, software version, and model.
- Next, pay attention to the “Model” section, which will reveal the origin of this iPhone:
- A model number starting with “M” indicates that the phone was purchased from Apple.
- A model number starting with “F” means the phone was refurbished by Apple or a carrier.
- The model number begins with “P”, indicating that the phone was sold with personalized laser engraving.
- A model number starting with “N” means Apple is offering the phone as a replacement for a faulty iPhone.
If you find that your mobile phone is brand new, you don’t need to be too nervous. Apple’s strict process during new product certification ensures that the phone you buy is as good as new by thoroughly cleaning every part, replacing any faulty parts when necessary, and replacing it with a new battery and case. Generally speaking, Apple-certified refurbished devices look and operate the same as new iPhones, but they cannot be sold as new products for legal reasons. However, these refurbished devices are sold at very attractive discounts, so they are a great deal for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money.
If your iPhone was refurbished by an independent repair facility that is not authorized by Apple, the model number may not necessarily reflect this. Few third-party vendors have as stringent refurbishing standards as Apple, so it’s best to avoid purchasing third-party refurbished devices if possible. While knowing the origins of the iPhone won’t have much of an impact on the phone’s capabilities (a bigger part depends on how previous owners treated and used the phone), if you want to satisfy your curiosity, you can give it a try.
Source: KOCPC Chinese