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What to Look for When Buying a Used iPhone 6

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There are a few things to keep in mind if you’re in the market for a used iPhone 6. Here’s what to look for when buying one.

Buying a brand-new iPhone 6 just isn’t an option for a lot of buyers, even with subsidized pricing, and in order to save some money, many shoppers will seek out a used model that costs considerably less than what a brand-new iPhone 6 would be priced at.

This can be a fantastic way to go, but there are a few things to be aware of when shopping for an iPhone on the used market.

Namely, one of the biggest things to be aware of is that a used iPhone 6 could show some damage from normal use over time. Most used models will show a little wear and tear, such as scratches and other dings and dents.

This is normal, though, so don’t be upset when you can’t find a perfect condition iPhone 6. However, you will want to make sure to look for any significant damage of any kind when you’re looking for an iPhone.

Plus, a used iPhone 6 on Craigslist could even be stolen, and a stolen iPhone 6 is useless to a user who isn’t the rightful owner.

In any case, if you’re looking to buy a used iPhone 6, here are some things to consider and look out for when shopping for one.

Condition

This might seem obvious, but it’s always a good idea to look over the device and spot any wear and tear or damage on a used iPhone 6.

iPhone-6

Look for any dings or dents on the corners, which is usually a solid indicator that it was dropped at some point. That kind of damage alone isn’t a huge deal if the device still works properly, but it’s something to keep in mind.

You’ll also want to look closely for any scratches on the display. In most low-light conditions, scratches on a screen are really hard to see, but once you look at it in broad daylight, the scratches can appear easily, so be sure to get it under a lamp or some kind of direct bright light and thoroughly look over the screen for any significant scratches that could affect the viewing experience.

It’s also important to make sure that the used iPhone 6 that you’re buying isn’t bent in any way. You might know all about the “bendgate” controversy that was a big deal when the iPhone 6 first released back in September. It could be very likely that the iPhone 6 you’re buying might be slightly bent. It can be hard to tell from a quick glance, so be sure to lay the phone flat on a table and see if it rocks back and forth. If it does so significantly, it’s most likely bent and the seller isn’t telling you about it.

Price

When buying a used iPhone 6 from anywhere, the prices aren’t going to be as consistent from seller to seller as it would be if you were buying one brand new. Instead, some sellers will be asking for less than what other sellers might be asking for, and other sellers might be asking for more.

iPhone-6 copy

Because of this, it’s always a good idea to shop around on different used marketplaces and look at a handful of listings from each one. eBay, Craigslist, and Swappa are all great places where you can buy a used iPhone 6, but prices will fluctuate significantly from seller to seller, so be sure to do your research and figure out a fair price that you’re willing to pay for a used iPhone 6.

Lastly, it’s important to keep in mind that if anyone is selling a used iPhone 6 for way less than what the average selling price is going for, there’s a good chance that the device is either stolen or there’s some significant damage that the seller may or may not have disclosed. It’s possible that the seller is hiding these facts, so be sure to ask questions and take a good look at the device before making the purchase.

iCloud Account Activation

Perhaps one of the most important steps to take when buying a used iPhone 6 is to actually find out if it’s a stolen unit or not. Luckily, it’s really easy to find that information out.

Apple has a feature called Activation Lock that it released with iOS 7 a couple of years ago, and it prevents stolen iPhones from being used again after they’re factory wiped by thieves. To make this happen, Find My iPhone needs to be enabled on a user’s device, and it locks down that iPhone to the owner’s Apple ID, which means that even when the iPhone is wiped completely, it will still require the rightful owner to enter in their Apple ID username and password.

iphone-activation

Apple’s new Activation Lock lookup tool aims to help buyers find out if a used iPhone that they’re about to buy was stolen.

You can access Apple’s new Activation Lock lookup tool by heading to icloud.com/activationlock, and you don’t have to sign into your iCloud account to access it. You’ll be prompted to enter in the iPhone’s serial number or IMEI number, which can both be located in the Settings app by navigating to General > About. You’ll also need to enter in the CAPTCHA code on the web page.

From there, Apple will instantly tell you whether or not an iPhone still has Activation Lock enabled. If it does, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the device was stolen. In fact, it’s possible that the user could’ve easily just forgot to turn Find My iPhone off, and if you ask them to do it and they can’t, it’s safe to say that the device was stolen at one point.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Mike

    10/24/2015 at 7:13 am

    Interesting article.

  2. Spider Man

    12/21/2015 at 2:40 pm

    thank you it was really helpful

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