Published on December 11th, 2018 | by Guest

How are Apple Products Refurbished?

A refurbished product is a second-hand device that has been tested, repaired, and cleaned before being sold on to a new owner. Phones and laptops (including iPhones and MacBooks) are two of the most commonly refurbished devices. These refurbished devices are confirmed to be in working order but they are typically sold for a lot less than buying brand new, which makes them an attractive purchase for those hoping to save some money.

A Persistence Market Research report cited by Recycling International notes that this refurbished tech market is expected to grow rapidly over the next few years or so. Between 2017-2025 the refurbished and used phone market alone is expected to see an annual growth rate of 8.9% and by 2025 the industry will be worth $38.9 billion with 277 million used and refurbished handsets being sold.

The growth of the refurbished market is impossible to ignore which explains why iPhone and MacBook creator Apple is in the refurbished industry too. Below, you’ll find details of exactly how Apple refurbishes its products.

How Does Apple Refurbish Its Products?

Apple is quite meticulous about the way that it refurbishes its iPhones and MacBooks. It puts all of its refurbished products through the Apple Certified Refurbished program, in which in-house Apple engineers and testers will repair, clean and certify the product in question.

First, a product is tested including full burn-in testing (when a device is run for a certain amount of time to identify problems). Then, any defective parts identified during testing will be replaced. Apple Certified Refurbished iPhones will also get a brand new outer shell and a new battery, regardless of the quality of the shell/battery of the device when it was traded in. The original operating system will also be installed. Before being made available, the device will receive a new serial number and refurbished product number. It is also cleaned and inspected again and it goes through another final QA (quality assurance) process before being listed.

Then, once all tests are complete and it’s ready to be shipped out, the device will be repackaged with manuals and cables. It will arrive in an Apple Certified Refurbished-branded box as well.

Do Other Companies Refurbish Apple Products?

Apple is the world’s first trillion dollar company, notes The Guardian, and it got to that point by selling its phones and laptops at a high price. This includes the refurbished versions of its iPhones and MacBooks. But not everyone can afford them, which has allowed other retailers to swoop in, appealing to Apple fans with refurbished devices that cost less without compromising on quality.

In an an article, RefurbMe explains the definition of seller refurbished, nothing that any seller or firm that refurbishes a phone or laptop other than the original manufacturer, is a seller refurbished vendor. Likewise, the products that they sell are seller refurbished devices. So when a product goes through the Apple Certified Refurbished program, it is a manufacturer refurbished device.

With seller-refurbished, you’re unlikely to get the original, Apple-branded cabling and the devices may come in a generic, non-branded box and they may not come with the manuals either. But, you’ll pay much less for a seller refurbished device; you could potentially save hundreds of dollars compared to manufacturer refurbished tech. Seller refurbished products are tested as extensively as the Apple refurbished devices too, so compromising may better suit your budget.

Can Refurbished Products Be Trusted?

One of the biggest questions surrounding refurbished products is whether or not they can be trusted – this is valid given that you are unable to personally verify who the previous owner was and how they may have treated the iPhone or MacBook. However, when a refurbished product has been tested, it is generally trustworthy.

Both seller and manufacturer refurbished products come with a warranty. Apple, for example, includes a 1-year limited warranty which protects you in the event of a hardware fault and you’ll be able to get your money back or get a replacement. Third-party retailers offer warranties too, though the length will vary.

Hubspot points to several customer review sites and highlights platforms such as Amazon customer reviews, Yelp, Google My Business, TrustRadius, and even Twitter as places you can go to find out what the deal is with a company. Double-check the reviews before you buy for confidence that your refurbished Apple product is the real deal, coming from a legitimate, trustworthy retailer.