If you’re probably thinking of buying a cheap iPhone because you lost your phone or because the one you’re using is damaged, or probably you just feel like using an Apple iPhone for the first time, then there is something that you need to know about buying smartphones in 2024.
As the smartphone world is driving into a new era of technological breakthroughs, you need to be sure you’re not paying too much for a phone. With Apple iPhone price crossing over a grand nowadays, buying a cheap phone seems to be the best option right now.
However, buying smartphones or any kind of phone from untrusted vendors might get you into trouble and this is the reason why its advisable to buy your cheap phone from a trusted family member or a friend. Or on the other hand, you can use classified sites like craigslist or eBay to find a trusted seller, or even more, you can find some affordable phones from the pawnshops.
More so, you need to understand that there is a huge price difference when you are buying your smartphone from let’s say an eBay store or from a craigslist listings as opposed to a private vendor. You can buy a cheap iPhone on eBay for about $50 – $150 depending on the phone version and the phone’s current condition, the same way, you can spend over $500 to buy the same for a certified pre-owned phone.
This is quite a huge price difference if you are on a tight budget. Although some phones might come expensive and some very cheap, the bottom line is how good is the phone when it finally transferred to the new owner? If you’re wondering what to look out for when buying a used cheap iPhone, here are some recommendations that should help you get a working iPhone with great features.
Is Seller Legit?
The first thing you want to check out before buying your used phone from a vendor is to check if the seller is trustworthy to buy from. Check seller reviews, ask friends and family for recommendations or do a quick Google search and stay away from Amazon and Ebay as there is a lot of junk being sold on marketplaces. One highly recommended place to score a great deal on some of the newest iPhones is Phonebot. Their prices are updated fortnightly and the phones are sold with comprehensive warranties. Follow this link for up to date pricing on the cheapest iPhone in Australia.
So if you don’t want to be a victim of the stolen phone and you want to be a step ahead of the vendor, here is how you can tell if a vendor is trying to sell you a stolen phone.
Check the phone IMEI!
Every phone comes with its own unique IMEI and no two phones share the same IMEI numbers, you can easily find these numbers on the phones display or probably on the phone’s exterior, so if any phone gets stolen the owner can block it from gaining access to any mobile networks.
Also, the IMEI helps you to determine whether the phone you are about to purchase is blacklisted or blocked, there are lots of online websites that give you access to checking if the phone you’re about to settle for is stolen or blacklisted. Check the IMEI here for block or stolen status.
Do A Quality Check
Sometimes you tend to order your phone online and when it is delivered you discovered that the phone has defected one way or another and that will result to a refund issue and God knows how or when such issues are resolved but in most cases, it’s not always a good experience for the buyer.
So, if you can see the phone physically before committing your money, make sure the phone is not excessively damaged. Of course, it’s okay to notice some wears and tears on the exterior of the phone as that is normal and a sign that it has been in working condition.
However, if you noticed any cracks that spread across the screen, such a phone might not last for so long anymore as it will get worse over time.
Here are some other items on the phone that you might consider checking before finally making payment:
- Make sure that the screen is responding to your touch and that the Home button works
- The headphone jack should be inspected to make sure the phone audio is good
- Also, turn on the phone speaker and use without the headphone and test the volume control
The Battery
You could be lucky with a good battery when you buy a used cheap phone however, it is advisable that if the phone you’re buying is over a year old, you should factor in the cost of buying a new battery. Although the phone battery is not meant to last forever, a good 10 hours of talk time should be okay for a good phone.
So either you test the battery limit before you purchase or ask the vendor if the phone’s battery is good enough to last you for the basic task of talking and texting.
Does It Have A Warranty
All iPhone models have a one year cover against manufacturing and hardware defect and they are lots of tools online to check if your phone is still covered by the warranty just input your IMEI or the phone serial numbers.
Conclusion
Getting yourself a new iPhone can be very expensive as most of the new iPhone releases are worth more than $1000, in fact, the cheapest iPhone you can buy right now averages between $300-$1400 AUD and that should be the old versions.
However, the good side of using Apple iPhone is that they tend to last longer as opposed to other brands, so invariable they give you your money’s worth no matter how much its sold for.
So, if you are buying a pre-owned iPhone, remember that there are some shady characters out there; just make sure you’re getting what you paid for.
Run a check on the phone to ascertain the IMEI number and also make sure that you have a feel of the phone in person before actually giving out your hard-earned money.