In the last year, the Internet just flooded stores that allegedly sell “new” iPhones at prices 2-2.5 times lower than the adequate minimum price for a new device.

In itself, the sale of refurbished phones is nothing criminal, each product has its own audience. But the "disgusting" on the part of such stores is that no one tells you that the phone has been restored. And a person who doesn’t know much about Apple’s technology and doesn’t know how to check a phone may not notice a trick until after a certain amount of time the technical problems with the phone start.

Remember once and for all: there are no customs confiscated goods, there are no sales in connection with the closure of the store. All this is an attempt to put your vigilance to sleep and to sell you a restored one, incomprehensibly and incomprehensibly, where the phone is disguised as new.

In this article we will talk about unofficially restored phones with your hands, do not understand which masters.

There are also versions of the phones "like new", which Apple itself restores and sells at discounted prices with the official one-year warranty. But such phones are sold in white boxes with the words "Apple Certified Pre-Owned" and nobody will try to sell them under the guise of new ones.

And so, the surest, most reliable, and most correct method of checking the iPhone is checking by serial number on the Apple website.

Remember, it is on the Apple site!  No transitions for the request "checking iPhone by IMEI" in Yandex. Only the Apple site will give you the correct information regarding the device (occasionally there are failures in displaying information or preventive work, but you can believe in 95% of the time information). Link below:

Check iPhone on IMEI on the Apple site

We now turn to the results of this test and their meaning:

1) New device.

Orange exclamation mark and inscriptions:

"You need to activate the iPhone" - when checking the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac.

All these inscriptions mean that the device is new and is waiting for its activation (first activation) in order to display the expiration date of the warranty, since the warranty period is calculated from the moment the device is activated.

Therefore, if, when checking on the Apple site, you see one of these labels - the device is new.

2) The device is no longer new, but still under warranty.

We are important to the third paragraph with the words "The right to maintenance and repair: provided." And just below the end date of the warranty period is displayed. Accordingly, the phone was activated for the first time on this date (minus 1 year).

Accordingly, this phone is NOT new. Yes, it may not be used, yes, it may not have been removed from the film, but formally, with respect to activation - it is not new.

3) The device is not new and the warranty has already expired.

In the third line the inscription: "The right to maintenance and repair: the period has expired."

In 95% of the cases, you will see the following inscription on the restored phone, which means that the first activation was made more than a year ago, respectively, there is no chance that this phone is new - and there can not be. You may be pre-defiantly breaking the “factory film” on the box, the films may also be on the phone itself, but all these points are faked, but it is impossible to fake an entry in the Apple registry.

Therefore, you have a restored phone in front of you, and it is not clear from what quality and manufacturer it was restored from spare parts, since the goal is to make it as cheap as possible. That is why the prices of these phones are so "tasty" and so beckoning fans to save money.

The term of trouble-free operation of these phones rarely exceeds 1-2 months. Then one after one crooked-skew soldered parts begin to fail and there is no special point in repairing these phones. Just spend the repair amount, after paying that, you could buy a new phone.

It should be noted that one of the favorite "excuses" of these pseudo-sellers: "we sell Eurotest, they are not subject to warranty and therefore you can see erroneous information on the site."

This is all nonsense and substitution of concepts. Eurotest, if it is new, is perfectly accepted in Russian authorized service centers. The main thing is that the phone has the same model number as it is officially sold in Russia. You can read more about this in another.

We, in turn, responsibly declare that in our store only NEW equipment is sold. Any product you can check by serial number and it will correspond to paragraph 1 in this article!

When buying an previously used iPhone, you need to know how to check it against IMEI. This is a special device identification number confirming its authenticity and originality. After checking you can find out a lot of information about the phone, for example: the date of its purchase and activation, whether it is restored, the version of its OS and much more. How to do it? The following describes a few basic and proven methods.

There are 4 main ways to do this. Consider them in more detail.

1. For the first option you need to enter in the dial string * # 06 #. The phone will automatically execute the combination and the IMEI code will appear in the window that appears.

1. Go to the settings menu and open “General” - “About this device”. An information panel will open, where the IMEI code, model and other individual data will be registered.

1. On the back of the factory box. In addition to the IMEI code, on the reverse side there is the serial number of the device and a brief information about it.

1. Take a look at the back cover of the phone.

IMEI information is required to verify iPhone activation blocking. If it is activated, the new owner will not be able to enter their data and fully use the device. With the help of verification, you can make sure that the iPhone is really new and has not previously been used. If the phone is bought with a hand, then you will know exactly the date of its initial activation.

Compare the code on the box and phone

First of all, after the iPhone got into your hands, you need to compare the information specified on the box and in the device settings. If all the digits, including IMEI, serial number and model, are the same, then you can proceed to the next stage of verification. If differences are noted, this indicates that the box is non-native and is taken from another device.

Attention! Do not purchase an iPhone if the IMEI code on the box does not match what is specified in the device settings.

In this case, it is worth thinking about the origin of the device and the reasons why you are trying to slip a completely different box. There may be a variety of options, for example, his iPhone was stolen from the current owner, or he lost it, and an outsider is trying to sell the item found or stolen. In this case, the real owner will contact the police and the device will be sought. This situation can bring you a lot of trouble, so avoid such dubious deals.

Check through the official Apple website

There are many diverse services to check IMEI, but first of all it is worth referring to the official site. There you are guaranteed to receive accurate and free information. This instruction will not cause difficulties if you follow the step-by-step guide:

1. We learn the IMEI code of the device. How to do this is described above.
2. We open the corresponding section on the Apple website for verification - https://checkcoverage.apple.com/ru/ru/. In the allotted column, enter IMEI, which we learned earlier, and a special code for checking for spam. Click "Continue".

1. We study the data obtained. Under the picture of the iPhone, its model and IMEI number are displayed.

Under the first item is information about the actual date of purchase.

Attention! It is important that there is a green check mark in the first paragraph. If this parameter is not present, then your device is not original and has nothing to do with Apple.

The following is a notification about the timing of technical support for the device. If an orange exclamation mark is to the left of the inscription, then the warranty period of the phone has expired and the device is not subject to factory maintenance and telephone support. The third paragraph specifies the possibility of repairing the phone in the official service centers.

Thus, you received reliable information from the official Apple website about the originality of the device, as well as the timing of its maintenance and support. You can also make sure that the case has not changed, since the color on the site and “in real life” will be different.

With this manual, absolutely all Apple devices are checked, including iPad, iMac, MacBook, iPod, etc.

Enter the code on the site International Mobile Equipment Identity

This resource is no less popular than the official Apple website, and provides the same reliable information, but in great detail. Consider step by step instructions.

1. Enter in the browser line the site http://www.imei.info/.

1. On the main page in the corresponding column, enter the IMEI code. Below we go through a quick checkout by clicking on the “I am not a Robot” mark. Click the "Check" button to the right of the entered code.

1. After that, the screen will display detailed information about the device. You can find out the phone model, year of release and other technical parameters. If this information is not enough, click on the “Read More” button to get more data.

Both of the above methods are reliable.

Attention! To obtain a complete package of information about the device, we recommend using several IMEI verification services.

Consider a few more popular ways to check the iPhone for IMEI code. All described web resources may vary in the amount and volume of information provided.

SNDeepInfo International Mobile Phone Check Service

For more information about the device, there is another popular service - SNDeepinfo. If the result is not displayed when entering the serial number, you should think about the originality of the gadget and postpone its purchase. Consider step by step instructions:

1. Go to the official website of the service SNDeepinfo.

1. Make sure that in the panel above the line for entering the IMEI code, the column “Apple” is highlighted. Next, enter the personal code of the gadget in the corresponding line and put a check mark in front of the words “I am not a robot”. This is a standard spam check. Click the "Continue" button.

1. At the top of the page will be a picture in the style of the warranty sticker. It contains a phone model, its IMEI, as well as data on whether it is stolen.

On a free basis, this service provides information about the technical characteristics of the device, the decoding of the IMEI code, color and originally intended region of sale.

To find out which countries the iPhone has been adapted for, it is necessary to enter the letters of the phone model on the same site, as shown in the screenshot below.

In order to find out the phone model, you need to go to “Settings” - “Basic” - “About this device”. In the menu that appears, there will be a corresponding line “Model”. On the website you need to enter only the two penultimate letters (circled in the screenshot below).

Enter the data and get the following result:

For a fee on the same service, you can find out more information about your iPhone:

• country of purchase;
• name of the organization that issued the sale;
• estimated and registered date of purchase of the device;
• information about the status of the function "Find my iPhone";
• iCloud information.

Smartphone back cover authentication

The authenticity of the apple gadget can be determined by the first external signs. Immediately pay attention to the back cover of the device. In all models, starting with the iPhone 5, IMEI code is written on the cover. In older versions, the serial number information is applied to the SIM card slot.

There are 3 main factors, based on which conclusions can be drawn about the originality of the iPhone. Just look at the back cover.

1. There should not be any curves and blurred inscriptions, hieroglyphs, typos and other things. All letters are made very carefully and accurately. If you see that the words on the back cover are uneven or sloppy, then most likely you are holding a replica in your hands.
2. Mandatory inscription on the surface of the cover: iPhone, Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China. Next comes the phone model and certification mark.
3. The cover can not be removed simply with the help of hands. On the original device, it will in any case be bolted or non-removable at all.

Attention! Even if by all appearances the iPhone seems to be original, do not forget to check its IMEI code on the respective sites.

Summarizing

When buying an iPhone "with hands", be careful and carefully check the phone for all the above signs. It is better to devote a little more time to the verification procedure, but you will be sure that you have bought a high-quality and original product.

• Apple's official website;
• IMEI website;
• SNDeepinfo service;
• External inspection of the back cover.

Above described several ways how to check iPhone for originality. Choose the one that is most convenient for you. There is another very simple and fast way to verify the authenticity of the phone. To do this, simply go to the App Store. The problem is that no matter how good the replica is, it will still go to the Google Play store.

Video instruction

This video describes some of the ways to get detailed information about the originality and condition of your Apple device.

The new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus can afford not everyone. If you are one of them, but you really want an iPhone (not necessarily the latest model), it makes sense to buy it on the secondary market, that is, “base”. How to do this without consequences in the form of hardware and software faults read under the cat.

Purchase used iPhone. Vendor selection

If you are buying a second-hand (second-hand) product via the Internet for the first time, be aware that there are many more scammers on the secondary market than good sellers. Therefore, approach the choice of the seller carefully. Advice: do not trust anyone!

The model of a decent and sensible seller of a new iPhone looks like this:

1. Do not hide your contact phone number.
2. Do not give up a personal meeting.
3. Do not refuse to check the status of the phone.
4. Do not give up your iPhone at a price lower than the average in the secondary market. Although you can always bargain on the spot.

Full set

Buy used iPhones in the factory configuration and, if possible, with a receipt from the store. The latter will be needed when contacting Apple support to regain control over, for example.

IPhone Kit:

1. Smartphone.
2. Branded box with a barcode and information about the device (model, batch number, serial number and IMEI).
3. Charger.
4. Usb cable
5. Apple EarPods wired headset with control buttons and microphone.
6. Clip to remove the SIM card.
7. Documentation.

Not critical, if the bundled iPhone does not have a power supply, USB cable, headphones, paper clips and instructions. It is important that there is an original box (for customer support).

Check if the data in the settings of the iPhone and the original packaging

Check whether the information on the box, in the settings of the iPhone in the menu “General -\u003e About this device” and on the back of the device. The following data must correspond:

1. Model. For example, ME305LL / A.
2. Serial number  (not indicated on the back of the device).
3. IMEI. Compare the identifier specified in the device information, on the box and on the SIM card tray.

If any of these data on the box, in the settings of the phone and on the SIM card tray are different, the device was repaired. The same can be checked by serial number and IMEI.

Video how to find the serial number

How to check the iPhone by serial number for authenticity

On the special page of the official Apple website (Check Your Service and Support Coverage), enter the iPhone's serial number in the appropriate field.

If the device is original, the system will recognize its model and display information about the warranty status. It is important that in the “Valid Purchase Date” field there should be a check mark - this confirms that the device is original and purchased from Apple.

If more than a year has passed since the purchase of the device, Apple’s international warranty on it no longer applies. Information about this is in the lines: “Telephone Technical Support” (Technical support by telephone) and “Repairs and Service Coverage” (Term of warranty repair and maintenance).

If you need more information, you can determine the same serial number: phone model, country for which you made, identifier and model number, main technical characteristics (processor clock frequency, screen resolution, color of the case, memory size), year and month of manufacture, and also a manufacturer.

An example of checking my iPhone 5s by serial number:

• Serial number: F18LND37FF9R
• Nice Name: iPhone 5s (GSM / North America)
• Machine Model: iPhone6,1
• Family Name: A1533
• Model Number: ME296
• Group1: iPhone
• Group2:
• Generation:
• CPU speed: 1.3MHz
• Screen size: 4 inch
• Screen resolution: 1136 × 640 pixels
• Color: Space Gray
• Production year: 2013
• Production week: 45 (November)
• Model introduced: 2013
• Capacity: 16GB
• Memory - flavor: xx
• Factory: F1 (China, Zhengzhou - Foxconn).

This means that my iPhone 5s is 16 GB, the GSM-model A1533 is gray, made at the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou in November 2013.

Another serial number can be identified recovered by the manufacturer iPhone (Refurbished). For such devices, the “serial” starts at “5K”.

To make it easier for you, I recorded a video - how to check the iPhone's serial number:

How to check iPhone by IMEI

Exhaustive information about the iPhone (and not only) can be obtained by the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), for example.

IMEI iPhone is engraved on its back cover and SIM card tray, indicated on the label with the barcode on the package and in “Settings -\u003e General -\u003e About this device”. In the Phone application, type the combination “ #06# "And IMEI iPhone will be displayed.

Short:  If you have never had an iPhone and you cannot determine its originality by its appearance, check the iPhone by its serial number on the official Apple website and verify the information in the device information and on its packaging. It's enough.

For reference:  If there are no data in the “Wi-Fi Address”, “Bluetooth” or “Modem Firmware” lines in the iPhone settings in the device information, then the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or modem modules, respectively, do not work.

Checking the iPhone for mechanical damage

Inspect the iPhone visually, check:

1. The condition of the case.  It is desirable that the device was not chipped, scratched and dented.
   
2. Governing bodies  (“Home” and “Power” buttons, volume control rocker, vibration mode switch). Buttons should work softly and silently, should not stick and fall. On pressing the buttons, the device should respond instantly.
3. did the iPhone understand?  The speaker (near the front camera) must be covered with a net. The screw heads on the bottom end on the sides of the charging / synchronization connector should not be damaged.
   
4. Was it repaired? Shades of the "Home" button and protective glass should be the same. The charging / sync port and headphone jack should be in color with an iPhone. Press on the screen, the original touch panel "does not float" (pressing does not leave a trace).
   
5. iPhone Neverlock (unlocked) or "locked".  Remove the SIM card tray, there should not be any overlays on the SIM card (adapters for Gevey or r-Sim hardware unlock). Insert your SIM card - connecting an “unlocked” iPhone to a cellular network is fast.
   
6. Touchpad.  Unlock the iPhone, press and hold your finger on the screen until the application icons start to “dance”, slowly drag any icon across the entire screen. It should not "come off" from the finger.
7. Speaker and microphone.  Call someone, you and you should be well heard (sometimes it also depends on the quality of communication).
8. Wi-Fi module.  Turn on Wi-Fi and connect to a wireless network, check Internet access in Safari. The cold Wi-Fi module is working properly - a breakdown pops up after heating, so do not turn off Wi-Fi for at least another 5 minutes.
   
9. Camera and autofocus.  Launch the Camera app, tap the screen area for autofocus.
10. Proximity sensor.  Call someone, during a conversation - cover the upper part of the screen with your finger to the right of the earpiece - the screen should go out.
11. Accelerometer  Launch any regular application (Messages, Contacts, Calendar, Photos), turn the iPhone - the screen should turn after the device.
12. Headphones.  Plug the headset into the headphone jack, launch the Music app and start playing. Check volume adjustment, track switch and playback control.
13. Contact with water.  Shine a flashlight into the headphone jack, if you find a red marker in it (moisture indicator), it means the device has been in contact with water.
    
14. External speakers.  Turn on the music, the sound should be clear, without wheezing.
15. Remove the protective film, they hide scratches.

Check iPhone lock by Apple ID

Originality, appearance and performance of the iPhone are important, but even an original, fully working and perfect external device can be absolutely useless if it is locked with an Activation Lock. iPhone with the "

If your iPhone is bought with it, then you will certainly be interested in date of production. First, the sellers can deceive you with the aim of giving the ancient apparatus more fresh. Secondly, even if the iPhone looks great, it does not mean that it was not actively used. Remember that the battery of the device is designed for 300 cycloat  full charge and discharge, after which it gradually begins to die. Therefore, knowing the age of your iPhone is very important.

Well, if you bought your iPhone officially - in the store - then you will also be interested to know how long it was gathering dust in the warehouse, and then - on the shelf of the cabin, isn’t it?

Today we will tell you how to find out date of production and activation of the device. To do this, you do not need to know any additional information, except the serial number of the iPhone. By the way, everything written below is also relevant for the iPod Touch.

For those who did not hold the iPhone in their hands, but really want to buy it, we explain how to find out the iPhone serial right when buying. Find a silver icon on one of the desktops. "Settings"and click on it:

Scroll down and select the first item in the third section of settings -   "Basic", click on it, then select the top item - "About the device". Scroll down to point.   "Serial number"  and see the 11-character type code:

8892 9 KST4NS

You and I are interested in third, fourth and fifth digitsthis serial number. The third digit shows the year of production.7th - 2007th, 8th - 2008th etc.

The fourth and fifth digits are the ordinal number of the production week of the device.  This number can take values \u200b\u200bfrom 01 to 52.

Now you can easily determine that the iPhone with the serial number given above was produced on 29th week of 2009i.e. in the period from 13 to 19 July.

If you are interested, then the first two digits of the serial number are the identifier of the plant where the device was assembled, and the last six digits are a unique code for each device.

For reference, we present the calendar 2009 with the numbers of weeks:

That's not all. By serial number you can also check iPhone legality. Visit https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do and enter the serial number. The location you choose in the list below does not play a special role.

You will see something like this:

Follow the link   See full coverage details:

Pay attention to the inscription Estimated Expiration Date: September 12, 2010.  This means that the iPhone was first activated in the store on September 12, 2009, and from that date the annual warranty started to count.

If the iPhone has never been activated, which is quite possible when it is locked, then you will see an error like Please activate your iPhone. Your iPhone has not been activated.

Successful you iPhone purchases and no less successful use of it;) Do not let sellers deceive themselves.

Wanting to buy a phone from a US manufacturer, it is important to know how to check the iPhone (iPhone) by serial number and IMEI on the official website. At present, Eastern manufacturers have come close enough to very similar imitations of iPhone (4s, 5, 5C, 5S, 6, 6 Plus) and other brands.

When choosing to buy an iphone that was in use, it is important not to get a “cat in a bag” and know what the consequences might be. What could be wrong in the old model of the iPhone and what are the pitfalls of the long-awaited purchase?

It is almost impossible for an inexperienced person to distinguish the original from a fake by external features. It should be noted that IPhone phones are also produced by Chinese manufacturers, but at a specialized factory using high-tech equipment. Fakes are trying to repeat on less quality equipment, respectively, and the same software.

  How to check the iPhone / iPhone (4s, 5, 5C, 5S, 6, 6 Plus) for authenticity on the Apple website?

In order to find out whether the purchased iPhone belongs to Apple, you can use two methods:

1. View the number on the back of the phone (in previous versions of the iPhone on the SIM insertion tray).
2. Find out the number in the device menu " Settings» -> « Main» -> « About this device» -> « Serial number"(Pictures below).

If the lock function is " Find iPhone  Included by the previous owner, such a phone is useless. Him   can not be reset to factory settings  and it’s impossible to access or unlock your Apple ID account using conventional methods.  even after flashing. Also normal recovery mode of iTunes is impossible, it is necessary to use the emergency method - DFU-mode (Device Firmware Update).

When buying an iPhone in the secondary market, you should immediately check the function. activation locks. It is required to personally see that the owner has disabled the function " Find an iPhone».

The merchant needs to sign in with an Apple ID account. If he refuses, citing ignorance of the password, in no case can not purchase such a mobile device. Perhaps the phone does not belong to him.

Check used iPhone (iPhone) for mechanical damage

When buying a used iPhone, it must be visually checked:

1. Housing. No external damage (dents, spots, scratches).
2. Control keys. Everything should be in good condition: do not sink, do not slow down. When you press any button, the response of the mobile device should be instantaneous.
3. IPhone Disassembly. This can be identified by the conversational speaker pattern and connectors. Everything must be in good condition, without any damage.
4. Repairs. Safety glass, buttons must have identical color. Also, the colors of the mobile device must match the charging port and headset jack. When a mechanical impact on the screen is not observed effects of vagueness, and there are no visible traces on the touch panel.
5. Neverlok  (unlocked or tied to a specific mobile operator). Any devices from Apple work with all mobile phone cards. Card tray should be without overlays. By connecting your card, the connection of an unlocked (unlinked to a specific operator) iPhone should happen almost instantly.
6. Touchpad. After unlocking the device, tap on the screen before “dancing” the application icons and slowly navigate any of them on the screen. There should not be a “breakaway” of the pressed application icon from the finger.
7. Microphone and Speaker. Easily check the quality of a call by dialing any number.
8. Wireless module. Connect to Wi-Fi, open Opera browser and surf the web for about seven minutes to determine the operation of the module when it is heated. This determines the failure of the wireless network on a specific model of iPhone.
9. Proximity sensors. During a conversation, close part of the screen in the top panel (to the right of the speaker) and observe its attenuation.
10. Auto focus camera. Using a special application focus by clicking on the screen area.
11. Accelerometer. To check the function of "turning" the screen after the phone, just open one of the standard applications, for example, Photos or Calendar.
12. Headphones. To check their work, first connect them, and then play a musical composition from a special application. Test the volume control.
13. Moisture ingress. If the iPhone contacted water, it is easy to check - the headphone jack will show it. If by the light of the lantern a red color marker is visible, water gets into the iPhone.
14. Speakers. Check the sound quality (purity, no extraneous noise).
15. Protective films. When checking the iPhone, it is worth removing them to make sure there are no external defects.

Tips when buying a used iPhone device (iphone)

The above is all about how to check the iPhone (iPhone) by serial number and IMEI on the official website. It is equally important to check the seller, because There are a lot of swindlers in the secondary markets. A few tips on how to check the seller "honesty":

• mobile phone. Looking through ads for sales of second-hand iPhones, you need to pay attention to sellers who provide your phone number for consultation;
• the cost. The lower the average market price, the higher the risk of acquiring a fake. Adequate seller will not give up the expensive iPhone in two, or even three times lower than the value of the original purchase;
• prepayment. There is a risk that this is a swindler, especially if the phone is sold much cheaper than the average market cost and there is no contact information for the seller;
• venue. If the seller agrees not to send the goods, but to give it in person, you should arrange a meeting where there is a lot of people and there is an opportunity to go online. So you can check the lock, connect your account, erase settings and memory contents. The seller, who is ready to sell the original mobile phone for a normal price:
  • does not refuse to meet in a crowded place;
  • will not refuse to check your iPhone.

• full set. When buying a used mobile device, you should comply with factory equipment. It is desirable if the seller offers a purchase receipt to the phone. With a check, you can contact Apple Technical Services, for example, if you need to unlock an account or regain control of it.

Options iPhone:

• a clip to remove the card from the phone;
• charging;
• original USB-headset (microphone, control keys);
• connection cable;
• factory packaging with barcodes and phone information (about the model, ID, series number and lot number);
• mobile phone (smartphone).

However, if they offer an excellent model at a good price, but there will be no clips, documents, cable in the package, you can take it. The main thing is that there is factory packaging required for technical support and all data on the mobile device are the same:

• check the data in the settings of the iPhone and the original packaging;
• the data on the factory packaging, in the main settings of the iPhone (“About phone” function) and on the back panel of the mobile device are identical.

Compliance is checked as follows:

1. Model.
2. Batch number.On the back of the cover number of the series is not marked.
3. International ID. Compare all the data: on the packaging, in the settings and the location of the storage card. If at least something does not match, it means that the mobile device was under repair. This is easily verified by international identifier and batch number.

Briefly about the most important when buying a used iphone

1. Do not give an advance for the phone used.
2. Check in face-to-face whether the series numbers and identifier match.
3. Check the operation of all buttons.
4. Be sure to disable the lock " Find an iPhone».