Ideas for Buying a Used Smartphone
Those fancy product launches for brand new phones, certainly know how to build up the buzz. However, when you look at the business bank balance, and the remaining budget for the year, it can be hard to justify a brand-new phone with its brand-new super-high price tag.
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Acquiring an excellent used phone is actually a terrific solution to save some cash although upgrading to a far better device. But it’s not just about price; you can find other elements to consider when buying for any used smartphone.
1. Know when to buy
If you’re trying to get probably the most recent phone model as you can while maximizing your savings, the ideal time to invest in a used smartphone is just right after its successor comes out, which can be when all of the early adopters sell the previous generation of their smartphones.
Even though the dates for particular phone releases shift somewhat each year, the smartphone calendar is quite set. Top Android phone makers for example Samsung, HTC and LG announce new flagship devices in early spring, followed by Apple, which rolls out its new iPhones within the fall. Other Android models - which include Google’s Pixel, Samsung’s Galaxy Note and LG’s V series - ordinarily debut later inside the year, too.
2. Know your network, or get an unlocked phone
One from the most significant variables to think about when obtaining a used phone will be to ensure that the device will function together with your carrier of choice. The easy technique to do this will be to purchase directly out of your carrier; most supply certified preowned and/or refurbished devices that could be assured to function on that carrier. The trade-off is the fact that you will pay a little of a premium.
In the event you do not go the carrier route, just be certain that the device that you are obtaining indicates that it is actually compatible with, and ready to activate on, whichever carrier you select. You may also choose a multiband unlocked smartphone, which is often activated on any carrier. (Otherwise, you will need to have to look to get a GSM-capable phone for use on GSM networks for instance AT&T and T-Mobile, or a CDMA-ready phone that may operate on Verizon or Sprint.) Just consult the specs of whatever phone you are buying for to confirm it supports all of the relevant network frequencies for your carrier, or you won’t have optimal coverage.
3. Research prices
The next step is usually to figure out what the going rate is for your chosen smartphone. There’s always some variability in used smartphone pricing, but you should be able to narrow it down by searching at a few sites, like Swappa, Glyde, eBay (search sold listings only) and Amazon. Just make sure that you might be comparing apples to apples in terms of the general condition on the phone and what’s included.
4. Know the return policy
Try to obtain your phone from a reseller with a rock-solid return policy.
In the event you don’t buy from a carrier or phone maker, at least try to obtain your phone from a reseller with a rock-solid return policy. Although most physical damage is easy to detect the moment you receive your phone, it can take a little longer to spot malfunctioning hardware or software. So look at the return window when you are purchasing to get a phone, and once you complete the sale, make a note from the final day when you’re allowed to return it, just in case.
5. Know your seller
When you obtain your phone through a private seller on sites like eBay or Swappa, you need to determine if the person you’re about to send hundreds of dollars to is often trusted. And unfortunately, you’re usually basing that decision on a fairly limited amount of information.
eBay and Swappa provide some guidance, displaying how long the seller has been a member in the site, how many transactions they’ve completed, and how they’ve been rated by other buyers and sellers who’ve dealt with them.
6. Note the phone’s overall condition
The phone’s screen should be your primary concern when you are examining a used phone. Any chips or cracks are an immediate deal breaker, as replacing a screen is costly ($100 and up) and can indicate other problems with the device.
From there, you should look for any dents or significant abrasions that indicate a device has been dropped repeatedly. That could start to cause separation within the body with the phone or damage to the internal components.
If the phone passes these tests, it can be really just a question of what kinds of minor scratches or abrasions you're willing to tolerate, and whether that you are planning to use a case. It’s worth considering that superficial damage can mean a lower value, and with a case covering the phone, you might not notice any cosmetic flaws in day-to-day use.
7. Check what you are getting besides the phone
The items included with the smartphone are not only a bonus; they may also give you valuable information about the seller. For example, if a seller has the original box, that’s an incredible indicator that you aren’t hunting at a stolen device. If they include a case and/or a screen protector, the phone is probably in great 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 operate only with compatible chargers.
8. Think about software updates
Whilst the hardware on your smartphone remains the same as the day it was first sold, the software can - and should - continue to advance. For Android phones, the only manufacturer it is possible to depend on for consistent software updates is Google, with its Nexus and Pixel devices.
At present, most Android devices run a version in the operating system that can be 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’re purchasing doesn’t fall more than a month or two behind with these updates.
Software updates are less of a concern for iPhones, as Apple ordinarily supports its old hardware. Still, exercise some caution if you’re hunting at an iPhone that’s more than a couple of years old. This fall’s iOS 11 update will reportedly operate only on 64-bit devices, meaning phones for example the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c won’t be able to run the latest software.
9. Contemplate battery life
The lithium-ion batteries that power smartphones lose slightly of their capacity every day, so by the time they are 1 to 2 years old, they probably have only 80 percent on the original battery capacity, at best. Unless you’re acquiring one of your few Android devices that still feature replaceable batteries, this could be a deciding factor in the event you are a heavy smartphone user or frequently away from a charger for 12 to 14 hours at a time. You could either turn to an external battery for use in emergencies, or you are able to spend to have the battery on your used phone replaced. That could add $70 to $80 to your phone’s cost, though.
10. Check your phone immediately upon receipt
So you’ve gone through all the steps above and finally have the smartphone in your hands. In the event you have a return policy, the clock is ticking, so it's time for you to figure out if there are actually any hidden problems.
In the event you didn’t obtain the smartphone out of your carrier, this would be the time for you to verify that the device isn’t stolen or carrier-locked. You'll be able to check by either contacting your carrier with your phone’s IMEI number (commonly found on the nano-SIM slot or inside the About This Device section of your phone’s Settings app) or by trying to activate the smartphone on your account.
Once you’ve passed that test, do a basic physical check of your phone to ensure that there aren’t any surprises. Look over the phone, and move your hands around it, applying slight pressure to verify that there isn’t any separation in the case or screen. Check the water indicator. (On most modern smartphones, this will probably be found inside the nano-SIM slot.) If it is been triggered, you will see a solid red or pink color.
If you search online for “service codes” and the manufacturer of your smartphone, you will find a series of numbers and symbols to enter in your dialer to open a diagnostic mode. You'll be able to run a series of checks here that can verify that the hardware and software on your phone are in good working order. Pay particular attention to the battery test or status that could display the number of cycles. When a smartphone battery pushes beyond 500 cycles, it is actually on borrowed time and will have lost fairly significant capacity.
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