You might have bought a used smartphone or considering buying it in the future. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages affiliated with these acts. They seem to be cheap but some are stolen phones which might put you in trouble.
It is very expensive to buy a brand-new smartphone and many might not afford it. Prices on the Samsung Galaxy S8 start at $750 And Apple’s iPhone 8 might cost as much as a MacBook. When you try used phones, Your wallet can have some relief from these escalating phone prices. Buying a good used phone is a great way to save some cash while upgrading to a better device
Refurbished devices are held to the highest standard as they undergo software or hardware repair to return them to like-new functionality. You’ll find refurbished offerings at retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart. If you’re looking for a refurbished iPhone, you can also go directly to Apple. In this article, we cover the working tips to find a used phone that is worth your money and minimize risks entitled to second-hand phones
- Know when to buy
To buy the best and the most recent phone model as possible while maximizing your savings, the best time to buy a used smartphone is just after its successor comes out, which is when all of the early adopters sell the previous generation of their smartphones.
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Watch Out for Fake Phones
On the smartphone market, there is plenty of fake Chinese or Korean phones that are mere replicas of their original models and are quite hard to detect with the naked eye. Keeping in mind that phone’s internal stickers contain important information such as their IMEI numbers; model numbers can save you money.
Fraudsters tend to alter these stickers with counterfeited ones that portray sham model numbers with no resemblance to the actual ones. Fake smartphone sales cost the global industry $48 Billion annually. To ensure that your seller is not fleecing you, you can execute the following checks.
To make sure that the model being sold to you is a genuine one by exploring the phone’s ‘Settings’ menu to find its model number and other hardware specifications.
Compare the model number with that printed on the sticker behind the back of the phone or its battery. You can further leverage the hardware specifications to investigate if they match with those that have been outlined for that particular model by the manufacturer. Despite the above, if you are still in doubt, consult your nearest Authorised Service Centre to decipher the genuineness of the phone in minutes
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- Know the return policy
Try to get your phone from a reseller with a clear return policy window.
If you don’t buy from a carrier or phone maker, at least try to get your phone from a reseller with a return policy. Most physical damages are easy to detect the moment you receive your phone but it might take a bit longer to detect malfunctioning hardware or software. So consider the return window when you are shopping a used phone.
- Know your seller
When you buy your phone through a private seller or E-commerce platform, you need to determine if the person you’re about to send money is trusted. Sometimes you are usually basing on a limited amount of information to take a decision. Some platform display how long the seller has been a member of the site, how many transactions they’ve completed, and how they’ve been rated by other buyers and sellers who’ve dealt with them. These might give you insight on how the seller is trusted and worth serving you.
- Note the phone’s overall condition
The screen of your phone should be your primary concern when you are examining a used phone. It is easy to detect cracks and should be your immediate deal-breaker. Remember replacing a screen might cost you a lot up to $100 or more but can indicate other problems with the device. You should also look for any dents or significant abrasions that indicate a device has been dropped repeatedly.
If the phone passes these tests, it is really just a question of what kinds of minor scratches or abrasions you are willing to tolerate, and whether you are planning to use a case. It’s worth considering that superficial damage can mean a lower price, and with a case covering the phone, you might not notice any cosmetic flaws in day-to-day use
- Check what you’re getting besides the phone
The items included with the smartphone are not only a bonus; they can also give you valuable information about the seller. If a seller has the original box, that is a great indicator that you aren’t looking at a stolen device. If they include a case or a screen protector, the phone is probably in good physical shape. Getting the original charger for your device is also more important than it once was, as many Android phones support fast charging that will work only with compatible chargers.
- Consider software updates
While the hardware on your smartphone remains the same as the day it was first sold, the software should be updated and continue to advance. For Android phones, the only manufacturer you can depend on for consistent software updates is Google, with its Nexus and Pixel devices. It is very important for your OS to be up-to-date on a used iPhone.
Most Android devices run a version of the operating system that is a generation or two removed from Android Nougat. While new features may be optional, the monthly security updates should be priorities, and you should make sure that the manufacturer of the device you are buying does not fall more than a month or two behind with these updates.
Software updates are less of a concern for iPhones, as Apple typically supports its old hardware. Still, exercise some caution if you’re looking at an iPhone that’s more than a couple of years old. This fall’s iOS 11 update will reportedly work only on 64-bit devices, meaning phones such as the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c won’t be able to run the latest software
- Consider battery life
The lithium-ion batteries that power smartphones lose a little of their capacity every day, so by the time they are 1 to 2 years old, they probably have only 80 percent of the original battery capacity, at best. Unless you are buying one of the few Android devices that still feature replaceable batteries, this could be a deciding factor if you are a heavy smartphone user or frequently away from a charger for 12 to 14 hours at a time. You can either turn to an external battery for use in emergencies, or you can pay to have the battery on your used phone replaced. That will add $70 to $80 to your phone’s cost.
- Stay Away from Stolen Phones
Buying a stolen phone is a highly risky decision to take. Why should you get into a trouble with the authorities at a later stage for spending your money on a device that has been reported as lost or stolen or for buying a second-hand phone?
To safeguard yourself from taking unwilling decision, always insist that the seller provides you with a soft or a hard copy of the original bill that shows his or her name as the buyer of the device along with other nitty-gritties such as date and time of the original purchase, name of the store from where it was purchased, warranty details.
you might do some test like looking around the second-hand phone’s battery compartment area for an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) sticker or type *#06# (universal IMEI code that is compatible with almost all GSM mobile devices) to retrieve its unique IMEI number and match this serial number with that mentioned on the bill and on the packaging box.
The above code works on both iPhones and Android phones. Note that dual SIM mobiles will have two IMEI numbers as opposed to one IMEI number for a single SIM mobile. If the details match, then you can rest assured that the phone has not been robbed by someone
You must remember that purchasing a used or second-hand phone can be tricky because the market is flooded with plenty of faulty and fake cell phones or stolen ones. Also, pay particular attention to the battery test or status. When a smartphone battery pushes beyond 500 cycles, it is on borrowed time and will have lost significant capacity. Bear in mind all those risks before taking the decision to purchase. You can minimize those risks by buying from a trusted seller, being given receipt or guarantee
