Buying an iPhone is a challenging task. However, buying a refurbished iPhone is a herculean task. Hence, wait to do anything before reading this before-you-buy guide to refurbished iPhone 12.
Therefore, stick around till the end to learn all there is to know about these phones.
iPhone 12 Overview
iPhones have always been some of the most in-demand phones in the world. This is all because of their impeccable products and careful strategies.
However, you are not here to dissect Apple’s marketing strategies. So, let’s address the elephant in the room.
iPhone 12, iPhone 12 min, and iPhone 12 Pro were released back in 2020. This was a grim year, and people were looking to cling to any small piece of good news.
Pre-orders on iPhone 12 began on October 23, 2020, and the phone was released on November 13, 2020.
iPhone 12 was a significant step up from iPhone 11. This newer iteration of the iPhone included features like Liquid Retina LED-backlit LCD IPS panel, Super Retina XDR OLED, and many more. Do not worry; I will get to all the nitty-gritty details later on.
Design
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini brought in some significant changes to the mix. The iPhone 12 lineup featured flat bezels or sides instead of curved ones.
This design choice harks back to the times of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5. This design choice might seem like a minor decision, but it has had a significant impact in later iterations.
iPhone 12 features the same notch that can be seen in the previous iPhones like X, XSR, and 11. This notch houses features like the front camera and the speaker.
Therefore, the blacked-out notch does an excellent job of visually muting them in order to make the phone seem more seamless.
Users also noted that the phone was around 35% slimmer than the previous models. As a result, the phone was light and easy to hold. iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini come in six different colors: Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, and Purple.
However, you will be buying a refurbished iPhone 12, so you need to be prepared for the fact that you might only get some of the aforementioned colors.
Hardware
iPhone 12 was a pretty phone. However, it was more than just famous for its aesthetic appeal. iPhone 12 and 12 Pro were some of the most advanced phones of their generation. As a result, more and more people were looking to take advantage of these phones.
Both the phones, along with the flagship 12 Pro, come with an A14 Bionic processor and contain the next-generation neural engine. iPhone 12 and 12 mini comes with three storage options. These include 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB.
iPhone 12 comes with an IP68 water and dust resistance. This phone can stay under fresh water for 30 minutes up to 20 feet or 6 meters.
Therefore, your phone will be efficiently protected against dust, grime, or moisture. However, you will be buying a refurbished phone, so you should refrain from trying to experiment.
All variants of the iPhone 12 support 5G cellular communication. This allows users to connect and browse through the internet at lightning-fast speeds.
However, only the US variant of the phone came with the mmWave technology. Otherwise, non-US variants were made using sub-6 GHz frequency bandwidth.
Display
iPhone 12 comes with a 6.1 inch or 155 mm display. This is a big screen, and it will allow all manner of users to understand what is there on the screen effectively.
The screen features state-of-the-art Super Retina XDR OLED technology at around the resolution scale of 2532 x 1170 pixels, along with a pixel density of 460 ppi.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 mini featured a 5.4 inch or 137 mm screen with the same Super Retina XDR OLED technology. This technology is most efficient at the resolution scale of 2340 × 1080 pixels, along with a pixel density of 476 ppi.
The best about the phone is that it comes with an improved glass-ceramic covering called the ceramic shield. This was developed by Corning Inc. and is known for its enhanced durability and performance.
Batteries
Batteries are the most critical aspect of any phone. Therefore, Apple has invested a lot of time and energy into creating a battery system that proved efficient and powerful enough to sustain the technological advancements that the iPhone brought with itself.
However, batteries degrade over time. Therefore, you might experience different efficiency figures than you will see in this section.
iPhone 12 comes with a 10.78 Wh or 2,815 mAh battery. This is lower than the 11.81 Wh or 3,110 mAh battery found on iPhone 11.
However, the newer battery is believed to be more stable and efficient. As a result, the newer battery can run more cycles than the previous battery. As a result, you will not feel that the phone is underpowered.
Similar to previous iPhones, the battery can only be removed by a professional and nobody else.
Chipsets
Both iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini come with Apple’s A14 Bionic Chipsets. This chipset was the gold standard for phones in 2020. The iPhone 12 series was the first of its kind.
It featured one of the first ARM-based smartphones that came with an SoC or system-on-chip architecture.
This chipset was one of the most advanced chipsets that Apple produced up until that point. However, the brand used it first on Apple iPad products. Therefore, the brand had all the data needed to ace the transfer.
The whole iPhone 12 series comes with Qualcomm’s X55 5G Modem. Hence, you might not face connection drops while using your refurbished iPhone 12.
Cameras
iPhones come with some of the best phone cameras of all time. This is primarily because they have partnered up with some of the industry stalwarts to design their camera mainframe.
iPhone 12 comes with two 12-megapixel cameras that come with comprehensive and ultrawide features. The wide camera has a full frame of 26 mm and an aperture of f/1.6.
Subsequently, the ultra-wide camera comes with a 13 mm full frame along with an f/2.4 aperture. Both cameras come with a five-element lens. Therefore, you will be able to capture crisp images without any hassle.
Both cameras come with a dedicated night mode. Therefore, you will not face any problem capturing crisp images at lower lights. In fact, the camera shines the best in low-light photography.
Apple not only worked on the lenses but also included intelligent features like the Smart HDR 3. In fact, this was the first iPhone that was capable of capturing 10-bit high dynamic range Dolby Vision videos at 4K, 30 FPS. This enhances the interplay of shadow and light. Hence, increasing the USP of the phone’s camera.
Sensors
iPhones introduced the concept of sensors with the iPhone X. After that, the company standardized the practice and did not experiment too much with the sensors.
Therefore, expect to see some fundamental sensors with your refurbished iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 mini.
Some of the most common sensors included with these phones include a digital compass, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, barometer, gyroscope, and accelerometer. These are essential slice-of-life updates that make the phone more accessible.
Apart from the primary sensors, the brand has also incorporated a more advanced facial ID sensor and more precise biometric sensors.
Therefore, you will be able to handle these two. However, expect to see some loss of precision in your refurbished iPhone 12 due to age.
Software
iPhone 12 was initially released with an iOS 14. This was Apple’s most advanced operating system at the time of this phone’s release.
The operating system featured all the basic applications that a user might need, like Safari, Messages, weather, etc. Subsequently, the operating system came with the latest iteration of Siri.
The iPhone 12 originally came with the iOS 14. However, it soon got the iOS 15 update. This enhanced the efficiency of the phone. Currently, the phone is running on iOS 17.
Therefore, you should only go for a refurbished iPhone 12 that is running on the latest iOS architecture. Otherwise, you have to go through the hassle of updating.
General Reception Of iPhone 12
The general reception is something most refurbished product guides ignore, but I am different. Understanding a phone’s general reception is very important for refurbished product buyers.
This knowledge can help the users understand the problems that exist and the aggravation rate of those problems.
iPhone was received with open arms. In other words, the iPhone 12 was one of the most-sold phones in 2020. The phone was a commercial as well as critical success. In fact, the critics loved the phone to a great extent.
However, many users have heavily criticized Apple’s decision to remove AirPods and power adapters. Users claimed that these are simple tactics to increase sales figures.
Apple was also criticized for making facial ID the only biometric form. This creates a whole range of issues. Therefore, users heavily criticized this decision as the Facial ID was not the most reliable. Consequently, you need to remember these pre-existing issues before buying a refurbished iPhone 12.
Common Issues Of Refurbished iPhone 12
Buying a refurbished iPhone is a good choice. It can help the environment, is cost-effective, and comes with lower commitments. However, buying refurbished products comes with its own pitfalls.
Therefore, it is essential for users to know all of these challenges and pitfalls to understand what is right and wrong.
Here are some of the most common problems that refurbished iPhone 12 users commonly face:
Invalid SIM Error: wi-fi might have taken over the world and has made people oblivious to the importance of SIMs, but this is not the case. SIM Card error is one of the most prevalent problems every refurbished iPhone 12 user experiences.
Facial Recognition Error: iPhones are known for the reliability and effectiveness of their sensors. However, the iPhone 12’s facial sensor is an outdated one and can malfunction from time to time.
Audio Errors: While the Audio issue might not be the most prevalent issue you can face while using a refurbished iPhone, the chances are never zero.
The audio architecture of any device ages fast. Therefore, the chances of facing such issues with refurbished products are higher than with first-hand products.
Bluetooth Errors: iOS hates other operating systems. As a result, you will need help connecting to non-iOS devices. Just switch off and switch on the Bluetooth or bring the device closer to make the Bluetooth work effectively.
Wi-fi Problems: This is not the most prevalent problem you might face, but it is natural for users to experience drops in wi-fi connection.
This could be a two-way street. It could be the phone’s problem. Or it could be a wi-fi problem. Therefore, assess the root of the problem before panicking.
Fast Battery Drainage: Batteries depreciate the most rapidly. This means batteries break down as the phone ages. Several reports claim that batteries lose around 80% of their essence in the very first year.
As a result, only buy the refurbished iPhone that comes with a newer battery. Otherwise, you are just opening yourself up for hassle and more problems.
Overheating: iPhones tend to overheat from time to time. However, these problems are most prevalent in the refurbished iPhone 12. Hence, you should monitor your phone usage toto stop your device from overheating.
The Final Thought
That is all there is to know about owning a refurbished iPhone 12. Even though it is a viable financial option, it comes with significant pitfalls that are difficult to ignore.
Therefore, take an informed step instead of blatantly chasing a fever dream. Keep following our page for more such content.
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