Roger Fingas
For the first time in years, Apple has begun selling refurbished iPhones from its U.S. online store, giving people a cheaper way of getting into the iPhone ecosystem while still having official warranty support. [Updated with corrections]
At the moment, the company is only selling a few models of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. A 16-gigabyte 6s is $449, while an equivalent 6s Plus is $529. A 64-gigabyte 6s Plus is going for $589.
All of the refurbished units are unlocked and SIM-free, with new batteries, outer shells, and one-year warranties. Apple normally sells the 6s and 6s Plus for prices starting at $549 and $649, respectively.
While it may be possible to find cheaper prices from third-party vendors, buyers do run the risk of getting a device with hidden defects, which could lead to expensive repair or replacement costs.
Apple has traditionally resisted selling refurbished iPhones, presumably because the product is its main source of revenue and cheaper used models would undercut the incentive to buy new hardware.
It's not clear what might have changed, but sales of the iPhone 6s line were underwhelming compared with the iPhone 6. The company may be opening refurbs to clear out old inventory faster, simultaneously offering better competition against Android phones.
Update: The article has been corrected to reflect the fact that Apple last sold refurbs with 2008's iPhone 3G.
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
Andrew Orr
21 Comments
or it is a mark to show that they can grow profits by growing the members of the ecosystem
1) services now are profitable... they are not 'covering costs', profitable over the life of a 'discounted' device enough to justify 'discounting the razor to get people to buy the blades'
2) getting a $400 iPhone in 2016 significantly improves the possibility of that customer buying a $600 iPhone in 2018.
3) These phones sold in the U.S. will grey market into India and other countries not allowing refurb phone sales, driving demand for 1 and 2.
...I've always bought lightly used late-ish model phones as I really don't use them much, and for environmental reasons... Now I can buy them from Apple they will only gain revenue they never lost from me...
I think this is just a way to fill in iPhone sales that are sagging and try to keep marketshare. It's not like Apple did not know there was money in the used iPhone market. It's an act of desperation if you ask me.
Absolute poppycock. The original iPhones were available on the refurbished site back in 2007, a month or so after the 4gb iPhone was discontinued. I bought a great many of them refurbished. THe practice stopped I believe when the 3G came out, but this is absolutely NOT the first time iPhones were available on the refurb store.