I need a new Phone. Should I buy Apple? More privacy?

December 13, 2019 12:23 PM

Switching from Android. I can live w/out all the bells and Whistles of the new iPhone. How do I buy a refurbished model that will be compatible for awhile?
posted by ebesan to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

Apple Refurbished is the way to go. Inventory is a little sparse right now but it looks like you can get a really good deal on an iPhone X. If you see anything that's more than 15% off MSRP, it's a steal.

Any refurb unit from Apple is virtually new, almost everything is replaced with a new part (especially the screen and battery). And you get a year of AppleCare warranty just like a new unit.
posted by JoeZydeco at 12:41 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]

Gazelle is also a reputable place to buy used iPhones.

The general rule has been that iPhones support operating system upgrades for four years. So you can keep that in mind when you decide what to buy.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 5:25 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]

Keep an eye on Woot; they often have older iPhone models.
posted by humbug at 5:31 PM on December 13, 2019

I’ve had good experiences buying used on Swappa. I’ve had iphones for 4 years now so my android experience might be out of date but it’s felt like iphones stay usable for longer in terms of the OS being updated. The manufacturers abandoned (stopped releasing updates for) the mid-priced androids I had after a year.

Maybe I’ve just been lucky but each used (not refurbished) iphone I’ve bought has lasted 2+ years and I’m hard on phones (though I do use sturdy cases.) For a $100 or $150 phone I’m willing to gamble that it will hold up instead of buying something refurbished with a warranty for a lot more money.
posted by needs more cowbell at 8:12 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]

I had a different experience with Swappa. While their customer service was excellent, I got 4 different iPhones from them and each one was no good. I kept returning them and each time, the replacement was also broken. Since then, I’ve gotten new, older model iPhones from Walmart, on the Straight Talk plan.
posted by MexicanYenta at 9:05 PM on December 13, 2019

A potentially-relevant addendum is that I’ve always specifically bought phones described as in good shape, from private sellers rather than the people/companies who make a business of refurbishing them. I think this cuts down on the possibility of getting a lemon—it’s generally a phone the seller was using until recently.
posted by needs more cowbell at 5:42 AM on December 14, 2019 [1 favorite]

I’ve had excellent experiences with Swappa - have purchased four or five iPhones for myself / family members over the years, and have sold two or three as well.

FYI the latest iOS release (13.3) goes back to the 6S and 6S Plus, older 6 models and before get stuck on a certain iOS and the apps become less and less compatible.

IME you can save a lot buy buying a few models older, and refreshing every 2-3 years after.
posted by scooterdog at 12:54 PM on December 14, 2019