How are iPhones getting refurbished?
Refurbished iPhones are devices which are pre-owned. They might have had a faulty part—screen issue, faulty software, battery problem—and were sent back to the manufacturer. Or, they were a display item that is now getting prepped to go on the market.
How do iPhones get refurbished?
- The phone gets sent back to the manufacturer or to a refurbisher.
- The refurbisher finds out what (if anything) is wrong with it by subjecting the iPhone to a battery of tests on both hardware and software.
- If any issue is found, the faulty parts go through troubleshooting. Whenever possible, the refurbisher will fix a defective part. However, some issues, such as a cracked screen, cannot be fixed. In that case, the refurbisher will replace the part with a brand-new one.
- Once all the parts are in working order again, the refurbished iPhone is thoroughly cleaned.
- The refurbished iPhone goes through one last set of functional tests again.
Product testing is crucial to make sure the device is ready for sale. Only when an iPhone passes these tests—just like a new one would!—the refurbisher can stamp them as refurbished.