Pre-owned iphones - some good advice...

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
I've just posted the following on Facebook and thought I'd share it here too as it may save someone from getting ripped off one day.

So, you're in the market for a second-hand iPhone. Here's a few things you should know and look out for.

The first point is reasonably common knowledge, but I'll mention it anyway. If an iPhone has been "factory reset" by the previous owner via itunes WITHOUT switching off "find my iphone" and signing out of their iCloud account on the device - you're in trouble. This is known as iCloud activation or iCloud locked. There are literally thousands for sale every day like this because they have either A) forgotten their Apple ID details, or B) the phone has actually been found on a bus and they have tried to reset it using iTunes!

Now without knowing that full Apple ID and password (which will be required during the initial setup) you're essentially buying an expensive paperweight! Believe me when I say that I have bought several myself and learned the hard way.
You can currently check an iPhones lock status by entering the IMEI number (found on the back of most iPhones or by dialling *#06#) on a free website which is imeipro.info - however don't panic immediately if it says it is locked to iCloud as the owner may still be using the phone if you've not met in person yet. However, if they are saying it's been wiped and is ready for a new owner then this site should definitely tell you that it's good-to-go with green ticks all around.

Secondly, and kind of linked-in with the above there is also an increasingly common fault happening with what's called a baseband chip on the phones logic board. This results in the phone stuck "searching..." for networks. An honest person would allow you to see a phone fully working before resetting it infront of you, but someone dishonest can still switch off FIND MY IPHONE, sign out of icloud and then reset the phone. You'll do the imei check, see it's all clean and unlocked and think you're about to get a bargain, until you find out that the phone will not activate during setup. And there we have another paperweight!

For the above reasons I strongly recommend the following when buying pre-owned iphones.

1. If the seller has not reset the phone prior to you meeting to purchase it, ask if they mind keeping it that way until you have seen it all fully working. They can reset the phone in front of you (after switching off find-my-iPhone etc) as it only takes a few moments to do.

2. If they have already reset the phone, first of all ask for the IMEI number from the back and check it out at imeipro.info
If it says it's locked to iCloud, explain this to the seller and ask if they know the apple ID and password it was used with as you'll need them to help you re-activate the phone when you collect it.

3. ALWAYS take along your sim card and insist on going through basic setup there and then (unless you already saw everything in step 1 above in person). Make sure you have credit or mobile data (as it's awkward having to connect to their wifi) and go through setup as quickly as you can just skipping anything that's not urgent to speed things along for you both. If you reach the GET STARTED message and then the home screen you're in luck.

4. If there's no big rush, a few other things you might want to check are front AND rear facing camera's, speaker (try ringtone settings to test it), volume buttons, mute button, lock/power button and of course the home button. It's also a good idea to check the charging port by plugging in the USB cable too if you can, as that's another component that can become damaged.

5. Assuming it all goes well, pay the nice lady or gentleman with a big thank you for allowing you to be so thorough.
Yes, some of the above may make it look like you're an over-cautious buyer - but any genuine seller will be happy to oblige if the phone is fully working as advertised. If they act impatient or don't like your reasoning, then maybe that's the time to run and they could have something to hide.

Good luck!
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
Good advice, but why would anyone buy a iPhone? Seriously, poorly sprec'ed and all that trouble of apple controlling your phone (see factory reset above) is ridiculous. My advice, is avoid all apple products and buy a good phone :)
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
Good advice, but why would anyone buy a iPhone? Seriously, poorly sprec'ed and all that trouble of apple controlling your phone (see factory reset above) is ridiculous. My advice, is avoid all apple products and buy a good phone :)
Personal opinion I know, but the majority of phone users that switch from Android to iPhones never switch back. Those who try switching from iPhone to android usually go back to iPhones at some point. You say under spec'd, but most are of a more than satisfactory spec for the apps they need to run. I'm on a 5s and can not fault it's spec. 1GB ram doesn't sound much but I've yet to hit any problem due to it. I've had 2GB RAM android phones perform much much worse. I know there's more to it than just RAM but that's an example. The OS is of as much importance to performance, and iOS is far better IMHO when it comes down to memory management. I've also had many expensive android phones before I switched to iPhones, and i find that iOS is a much more polished operating system. More pleasing on the eye, more professional looking etc. I had to mess with someone's S7 edge recently and my first thoughts were how "taccy" the operating system looked. All just personal opinions, of course, but I'd rather stick with an iPhone any day - and until a couple of years ago I swore I'd never have one!
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
Personal opinion I know, but the majority of phone users that switch from Android to iPhones never switch back. Those who try switching from iPhone to android usually go back to iPhones at some point. You say under spec'd, but most are of a more than satisfactory spec for the apps they need to run. I'm on a 5s and can not fault it's spec. 1GB ram doesn't sound much but I've yet to hit any problem due to it. I've had 2GB RAM android phones perform much much worse. I know there's more to it than just RAM but that's an example. The OS is of as much importance to performance, and iOS is far better IMHO when it comes down to memory management. I've also had many expensive android phones before I switched to iPhones, and i find that iOS is a much more polished operating system. More pleasing on the eye, more professional looking etc. I had to mess with someone's S7 edge recently and my first thoughts were how "taccy" the operating system looked. All just personal opinions, of course, but I'd rather stick with an iPhone any day - and until a couple of years ago I swore I'd never have one!

It's actually quite interesting you like the iPhone being a computer person :). I work in IT and not a single one of the 25 Tech's and Engineers I work with have an iPhone, or anything Apple to be honest!! Well, apart from the image conscious 17 year old apprentice, and even he had the sense not to upgrade his iPhone to the latest one once a comparison with many superior phones was given to him by our Telephony expert.

As an aside, I recenlty got a Nokia Windows 10 phone from work, and it's a horror of an O/S, not to be recommended!!

Samsung for me and most of my work colleagues all the way!
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I used early Apple stuff.

apple31.jpg


Wasn't a fan.
 

citricsquid

Well-Known Forumite
It's actually quite interesting you like the iPhone being a computer person :). I work in IT and not a single one of the 25 Tech's and Engineers I work with have an iPhone, or anything Apple to be honest!! Well, apart from the image conscious 17 year old apprentice, and even he had the sense not to upgrade his iPhone to the latest one once a comparison with many superior phones was given to him by our Telephony expert.

Your workplace isn't particularly representative then. Apple products are very popular amongst people working in technology and they're not usually something people (in technology) buy because they're "image conscious". There's lots of reasons to own apple products.
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
It's actually quite interesting you like the iPhone being a computer person :).
Like I say, until a couple of years ago I would have agreed. I'm still a Windows man - have no desire to own a Mac or anything, but for me the switch happened when I first owned a drone. I tried the drones dedicated live streaming app on a few reasonably high end android phones and had nothing but issues - mainly with lagging and freezing live footage. My wife passed me her (then) iPhone 4S and I loaded up the app and it was absolutely flawless. I got an iPhone and I've never considered going back since.
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
Your workplace isn't particularly representative then. Apple products are very popular amongst people working in technology and they're not usually something people (in technology) buy because they're "image conscious". There's lots of reasons to own apple products.
I couldn't agree more.
 

Alee

Well-Known Forumite
I started with an iPhone then switched to android then a windows... I had to go back to iPhone ... can't beat iPhone in my opinion.
 
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