Tech

Ought to You Purchase a Used Cellphone on eBay? This Is What You Must Know

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The iPhone 15 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra boast unbelievable options, however you may pay heartily for that cutting-edge tech. Even Google’s extra reasonably priced Pixel 8A nonetheless prices $499, which remains to be plenty of money to place down in a single go, notably at a time when many people are holding a a lot nearer eye on our spending.

Shopping for a barely older telephone on the used market can prevent some huge cash whereas nonetheless permitting you to place some critically potent cellular {hardware} in your pocket. These telephones will characteristic all of your on a regular basis necessities, plus enable for issues like picture modifying, gaming and video streaming. Even higher, it saves a telephone from going to a landfill, which we are able to all agree is an efficient factor.

Learn extra: Best Phone to Buy for 2024

However there are key issues to remember if you would like one of the best telephone in your cash and also you wish to keep secure once you get it. Listed here are our prime tips about learn how to safely purchase a terrific used telephone, whether or not you need an iPhone or an Android telephone.

What options do you want in a telephone?

First, take into consideration what you really want out of your telephone, as this may dictate what kind of degree (and funds) you want. Should you simply need one thing extra primary to deal with informal WhatsApp messages and play Spotify throughout your commute, you do not want flagship ranges of efficiency. In consequence, a lower-end telephone with a smaller price ticket will swimsuit simply high-quality.

An Android phone showing the Android N logo

The Pixel 6 Professional is assured to get safety updates till October 2026, so this telephone has a great quantity of use forward of it. 

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

If, nevertheless, you are actually into telephone images then chances are you’ll wish to spend a bit extra on one thing with an honest digital camera. In that case, one thing like a more moderen Galaxy S23 (just one technology outdated), with its extra highly effective multi digital camera array could also be preferable. You may have to search out that stability between the efficiency you want and the worth you are blissful to pay. Newer telephones with extra fashionable options and higher efficiency will include the next value. 

Purchase from a trusted supply

Not each telephone vendor has your finest pursuits at coronary heart, so it is vital to be savvy once you’re buying. Some locations to keep away from ought to be apparent; do not buy from the man promoting telephones on a road nook from a giant field, for instance. Others could be hit or miss.

The location eBay is a well known supply for purchasing used objects, and there is a enormous choice of telephones available. A few of these are offered by refurbishing corporations that commerce solely in shopping for and promoting used handsets. Others are common folks attempting to dump their outdated units once they improve. The result’s that it might typically really feel like panning for gold, on the lookout for these nuggets you really need. Examine the subsequent part for extra tips about shopping for on eBay.

My finest recommendation although is to go to trusted corporations that purchase outdated telephones, refurbish them and promote them on. I’ve used MusicMagpie within the UK and had no issues. Its on-line catalog is huge, it clearly lists the situation of the telephones, each handset is manufacturing unit reset and also you get a 12-month guarantee with each buy. Costs is likely to be a tad increased than you’d discover on eBay, however the peace of thoughts greater than makes up for it. Additionally they supply rental choices if you cannot fairly abdomen splashing the money upfront. Gazelle provides the same service within the US, though we’ve not examined it ourselves and so cannot vouch for the general high quality of the service.

A screenshot of the MusicMagpie product page for the Galaxy S20

MusicMagpie’s product pages make it very simple to see the situation of the precise telephone you are shopping for.

MusicMagpie/Screenshot by Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Examine the main points on the itemizing

Whether or not you are shopping for from eBay, Amazon Market or anyplace else, it is vital to pay shut consideration to what you are really getting. Learn the itemizing rigorously, together with any small print that is likely to be hidden additional down amongst different particulars. It might be that phrases like “nonfunctioning” or “battery defective” are deliberately buried to trick folks into shopping for a telephone that not works. They’re going to additionally seemingly clarify whether or not you are getting the unique charging cable, packaging and what kind of nicks and scratches you possibly can count on.

Use your widespread sense right here: If a $1,000 iPhone is being offered for under $100, there’s most likely one thing fishy occurring. Do not be the man who bought a picture of an Xbox One for $735

Samsung Galaxy S6 settings menu

You possibly can examine when your telephone final had a safety patch — and obtain an replace if there’s one obtainable — by going into the settings.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Do not buy a telephone that does not get safety updates

I will make this as clear as attainable: Don’t purchase a telephone that not will get safety updates from its producer. Unsupported phones are open to all kinds of vulnerabilities that may give hackers easy accessibility to each single piece of data in your handset — and even management it fully. These financial institution particulars, cute pics of your youngsters, horny selfies you despatched to your companion — all might be accessed and stolen.

Most Android telephone producers are likely to help their handsets for no less than two to 3 years, though each Google and Samsung have taken that additional, providing as much as seven years of safety help on their newest launches. Equally, Apple’s iOS 17 remains to be formally supported on 2018’s iPhone XR, making that telephone nonetheless secure to make use of. Google’s Pixel 6 Professional, launched in October 2021 is assured to get safety updates till “no less than” October 2026, according to Google’s support page

It is encouraging to see corporations providing longer help durations on their telephones as most of the time the {hardware} remains to be completely able to dealing with all of your on a regular basis wants for for much longer than the software program help may present for. However outdated software program makes the telephones susceptible, and it is merely not advisable to proceed utilizing telephones outdoors their help interval.

Your finest wager is to take a look at telephones that got here out throughout the final two years and are subsequently seemingly nonetheless receiving safety updates. Whenever you discover a telephone that fits, search the mannequin title and try to discover out if it is nonetheless getting updates, and if there’s a sign of how for much longer it’s going to get them. Firms typically aren’t forthcoming with data about once they’re chopping a product free, however by taking a look at what different fashions are being supported you must be capable to make a good estimate.

Samsung Galaxy S9

Launched in 2018, the Samsung Galaxy S9 not will get any form of safety help. Don’t purchase this telephone. 

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

It might be that you simply simply want a brief telephone to tide you over till you possibly can justify a correct improve and so a telephone with solely a 12 months of help left won’t be an issue. Be sure that when your telephone of alternative arrives that you simply totally manufacturing unit reset it your self, and ensure to examine for all obtainable software program updates earlier than doing anything. 

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