A brand new phone is quite costly, with the iPhone 7 Plus costing almost $800, not everybody can buy one right away. While saving those extra bucks to buy the latest iPhone, one can still indulge with the well-known brand by purchasing a pre-loved iPhone unit. How to make sure that you have the good end of the deal? Follow these simple guidelines in buying a second-hand iPhone.
First, check the exterior of the iPhone. Is it in good condition? Does it have a hair line crack across the screen? Is the headphone jack working? Is the speaker good? Are the buttons still sensitive? Minor dents and scratches on the casing might not be a big deal, but a hair crack across the screen is a big no-no. The headphone jack, as well as the speaker, should be working properly. The buttons such as the power button and home screen button should be doing its work as well. Also, check the screen by doing the iPhone Dead Pixel Test.
Next, make sure that the phone is not stolen. The iPhone's IMEI number can provide you with basic information regarding the unit that you want to buy. You can access the status tool of Apple's Activation Lock on its website. Also, contact your service provider, give the IMEI of the phone and check if it can be activated in your name. Some iPhones have a close-line and can only be used exclusively by a certain network provider. Another important detail to check is the water damage indicator. For iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, this is placed inside the SIM card slot.
Last, check the inside of the iPhone. Inside doesn't mean only the interior of the unit but the operating system itself. Check if the wifi, Bluetooth, and other settings are working. The external IMEI should also be the same as the OS IMEI. You can find this on the Setting-- General-- About menu. You can haggle on the price if it's not the same. You would also need to call again your network provider and check both IMEI online. Make sure that the "Find my iPhone" is turn off and has no Apple ID linked, otherwise, you won't be able to change it with your own. The pre-loved unit should also be restored to factory setting to erase all previous data on the phone. This can be done by going to General-Reset--Erase All Content and Setting.
