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Practical advice on buying refurbished iPhones, caring for your device, and getting more from Rainbowmobile.

iPhone with a SIM card and travel items, illustrating eSIM and imported models
Buying guideRefurbished iPhoneUnlocked

eSIM-only iPhones and imported models: what to check before buying refurbished

A refurbished iPhone may have started life in the United States, Hong Kong or Japan. Most differences are harmless; a few matter. Here is how to tell.

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Checking an iPhone's IMEI and activation lock before buying
Buying guideRefurbished iPhoneUnlocked

How to check an iPhone's IMEI, activation lock and blacklist status before you buy

Five minutes of checks separate a good used iPhone from an expensive paperweight. Here is exactly what to look up, in order, before money changes hands.

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Several refurbished iPhones compared side by side with a magnifying glass
Buying guideRefurbished iPhone

What decides the price of a refurbished iPhone (and what does not)

Two refurbished iPhone 13s can sit far apart on price and both be fairly priced. Here are the factors that decide where a phone lands and how to compare like with like.

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Refurbished iPhone returned to a customer at a service counter
Buying guideRefurbished iPhoneWarranty

What a refurbished iPhone warranty covers, what it does not, and how a claim works

A warranty is only useful if you know what it covers before something goes wrong. Here is how ours works, what it excludes, and how it fits with your consumer rights.

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iPhone showing a full photo library, illustrating storage space
Buying guideRefurbished iPhoneStorage

64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB: how much storage a refurbished iPhone needs

Storage is the one spec you cannot change later. Here is how to work out whether 64, 128 or 256 GB is right for the way you use a phone.

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Refurbished iPhones with blank labels describing their condition
Buying guideRefurbished iPhone

Used, refurbished, renewed, reconditioned, remanufactured: what the words actually mean

Seven words for a phone that is not new, and they do not mean the same thing. Here is what each one promises, and what it does not.

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iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 side by side
Buying guideComparisonRefurbished iPhone

iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14: what actually changed, and which to buy refurbished

The iPhone 14 kept the iPhone 13 design and screen and improved the cameras, memory and safety features. Here is whether that is worth paying more for.

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iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 side by side
Buying guideComparisonRefurbished iPhone

iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13: is the newer model worth it refurbished?

The iPhone 13 looks almost identical to the iPhone 12, so what did the extra year buy? Mostly battery life and a better main camera. Here is the full picture.

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iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 side by side
Buying guideComparisonRefurbished iPhone

iPhone 11 vs iPhone 12: which refurbished model should you choose?

One generation apart but a bigger jump than usual: OLED, 5G, MagSafe and a new design all arrived with the iPhone 12. Here is what that means for a refurbished buyer.

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