When purchasing a high-ticket item like a smartphone, knowing exactly what you’re buying becomes extremely important – and it’s especially true for Apple’s high-end iPhones. It’s easy to determine if your iPhone is brand new, refurbished, a replacement, or even a demo display unit in store by checking the device’s model number – the first character, in fact.
Finding the Model Number on Your iPhone
- Go to Settings
- Go to General
- Go to About
- Locate the entry for Model or Model Identifier
You’ll see an alphanumeric string like MG2V4HN/A. The first character in this model number is a code or letter that tells you the kind of unit.
Decoding the First Letter
The first letter or code in your iPhone model number, and what it means in terms of origin:
M = Brand New Retail Unit
If the first character of your iPhone’s model number is M, then the unit was most likely sold originally as a brand new phone through Apple’s direct or indirect channels (Apple’s official stores or authorised resellers). The device was never refurbished or a replacement unit.
F = Refurbished Unit
F as the first character means the iPhone is a refurbished device, so it was at some point repaired, restored, and resold by Apple or its authorised refurbisher. Refurbished iPhones are normally inspected, tested, and certified as working like new by the company.
N = Replacement Unit
A starting character of N indicates the unit was most likely a replacement supplied by Apple. Replacement units are almost always refurbished iPhones, even if they were given away for free at an Apple service centre, and even though they were supplied as a replacement for a device under warranty or AppleCare when originally purchased.
P = Personalized Unit
This means the device was a personalised phone, which was sold as new and engraved through Apple’s optional customisation and engraving service. The seller would have had the device engraved at the time of purchase from Apple.
3A = Demo/Display Model
Devices that have a 3A as the prefix were store demo or display models. They were generally in working order and used in the Apple store by staff and customers for demo purposes, but not intended for retail sale. In many cases, they were resold as new on the second-hand market, online.
Why this is useful information for buyers
Checking the first character in the iPhone’s model number is a useful tool in not getting scammed, especially when buying used iPhones from online marketplaces or unofficial resellers. It’s not uncommon for a used iPhone to be falsely sold as brand new – while a seller may claim the device is “brand new”, the model identifier in Settings will reveal the truth.
Tech enthusiasts often use this trick for things like:
- Verifying warranty claims
- Validating an inherited or gifted iPhone
- Identifying store demo or display units that are sold at steep discounts.
Helpful Hints
If you’re unsure about buying a second hand iPhone, take a moment to check the model number. This small step can help you avoid paying a high price for a refurbished or demo phone that you thought was new. Always buy second hand iPhones from trusted sources, such as Apple’s official stores or certified resellers.
