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Apple Shares Checklist With Important Tips for Buying a Used iPhone

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Apple this week published a new support document with some valuable tips for buying a preowned iPhone online or in person.

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Apple starts off by touting that the iPhone "lasts longer than other smartphones," making a preowned iPhone a "great way to own an iPhone." Apple says it provides "industry-leading device support for software updates," although Google recently announced that its latest Pixel 8 phones will receive full Android updates for seven years, whereas iOS 17 only supports iPhone models released up to five years ago.

When buying a preowned iPhone online, it is very important to choose a trusted seller, as the device cannot be physically inspected at the time of purchase. If possible, make sure the iPhone is not Activation Locked, as this would prevent you from using the device unless you know the previous owner's Apple ID and password.

For in-person purchases, Apple shared a helpful checklist for inspecting a preowned iPhone. Apple explains how to check for damage, how to find out if parts have been replaced, how to view the battery's health, how to find out if the iPhone is locked to a carrier, how to ensure hardware like the camera and microphone are functional, and more.

While some of the tips are obvious, Apple's support document might be worth bookmarking if you plan to buy a used iPhone in the future.

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Top Rated Comments

7thson Avatar
7thson
38 months ago
I love how all the coverage of googles “7 years of updates” is taken at a face value when google has a history of reneging and abandoning things
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
F
foobarbaz
38 months ago
Funny how they point out that checking battery health is important, yet still don't provide a UI with that info on most of their devices.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CapitalIdea Avatar
CapitalIdea
38 months ago

Sure, Apple supports the iPhone for a long time. But if they built a sturdy device, it would actually last longer. That is how you be green.
Yeah Apple is well known for having devices that do not last, have poor resale value, short support cycles and are made of weak materials like metal and glass. 🙄. Good grief you people are absurd.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
dannyyankou
38 months ago

Google specifically mentions '7 years of OS upgrades'. This means 7 different Android versions.
Look at the full context-

Today we announced our commitment to providing seven years of software support for Pixel 8 ('https://store.google.com/product/pixel_8?utm_source=keyword&utm_medium=google_oo&utm_campaign=GS107703&utm_content=blog') and Pixel 8 Pro ('https://store.google.com/product/pixel_8_pro?utm_source=keyword&utm_medium=google_oo&utm_campaign=GS107703&utm_content=blog'), including Android OS upgrades, security updates and regular Feature Drops.1 ('https://blog.google/products/pixel/software-support-pixel-8-pixel-8-pro/amp/#footnote-1') That means your Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be supported all the way into 2030

Notice they say “seven years of software support including os upgrades, security updates” instead of “seven years of os upgrades”
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
vertsix
38 months ago
Seems like the pressure is getting to them after Google announced 7 years of support for Pixel 8.

Good, competition is great for all of us. Maybe this will mean better support.

The iPhone 7 only got 6 years of support.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
jz0309
38 months ago
Good move Apple!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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