Remember those dirt-cheap refurbished iPhones
we mentioned you could snag in-store? Well it looks like AT&T has decided to share the bounty with the public at large, and has begun taking orders for the $249 8GB models online. If you've been on the fence, here's your chance to get in for $150 less than retail (and sadly for you early adopters, a whopping $350 tumble in price). In our experience, you can grab one in person with no activation,
though it looks like you'll have to sign on the dotted line to have it delivered.
Update: According to our commenters, you can get these mailed to you activation / contract free.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
posted Mar 18th 2008 10:16AM
"If you've been on the fence, here's your chance to get in for $150 less than retail (and sadly for you early adopters, a whopping $350 tumble in price)."
You know, it would have been nice of you to actually state the actual refurbished price or at the very least include the retail price. $150 less doesn't mean much if I can't remember how much a brand new iPhone costs.
Is there a contract? If not, it is a better deal then getting a nano. Any warranty?
They were $600 before tax. I vividly remember it :(
aardvark sandwich,
A new 8GB retails for just $400 now, which means these refurbs only costs $250! How people keep on comparing the iPhone to the N95 (a phone which nearly costs twice as the iPhone) is beyond me.
dude, simple math here could resolve your issue. they stated the refurb price was $249. so... add $150, you get $399 now... and add $350 to $249 and you get $599 for the debut price. why was that so difficult to deduce?
You guys in america get screwed on cell phones. Here in the UK you can get the N95 for free for reasonable contract prices. All I had to do was ring up O2, threaten to leave if me and my dad didn't get 2 free N95s as part of an upgrade, and bam there you go :)
@fozzle, imagine that info was added to the post after I made my comment. Just imagine...
I don't remember reading about any unit prices, just a bunch of price reductions.
Example:
I have a product and i take off 500 dollars off it's original price. What is the new price of my product?
Edit:
I have a product that costs 1000 dollars and i take off 500 dollars off it's original price. What is the new price of my product?
Try to answer the first question without reading the edit.
yo elainith or whatever the price of the phone is stated. It says the refurb is 249.95
it's 400 right?
and @Esat: same thing works with sky - etra channels for less :)
its still ATT (the devil).
249$
And T-Mobile, Sprint, etc. are all about the hugs and kisses! Yeah right. Get over it.
its still ATT (the worst company in america).
ATT is certainly not my favorite, but sprint is most definitely the worst in america.
its still ATT (the devil) FTW!
When I check out the REFURB iPhones on Apple.com it's showing the price as $349.
Mis-Priced initially?? Or did the $249 deal sell out already??
Haha, didn't read closely enough, I see their available through AT&T, not direct through Apple.
Sorry for the spam!
If i were to walk into a AT & T store and get one not activated will i be able to turn it on and jailbrick it? If so sounds good to me but I'm waiting for 3g Iphones lol.
Phew, I was panicking there for a moment. 10:15AM and not a single iPhone post on Endgaget today!
Psh we get it Engadget reports a lot of Apple news, get over it.
lol, I actually laughed at this one.
+1
Phew, 25 posts and FINALLY someone complains about what Engadget is posting! I was beginning to think all the annoying people had gone!
;)
-Taylor
Haha, good one Rich.
Even $250 is still about 150-200 more than I'm willing to pay for a stinkin' phone. I'd rather have my phone be just a phone, and use another device for all the fancy extra features so there's no unlocking required or extra cash required just to use the extra functionality.
Ooh, that's gotta hurt!
Wonder how much refurbs will be here in the UK when they (inevitibly) start to appear!
What's the phrase I'm looking for, oh yes.
"Hur, hur, hur, hur, hur!"
wait can u just go in the store buy it without a contract and then go home and unlock it??
I'm not sure why Apple sells it for $100 more for the same refurbished phone.
Because Apple is a minimalist b**** that jacks prices.
I have a love-hate relationship with Apple. Good product. Bad prices. But hey, that's what the economy thrives on.
I agree totally! I got a referb off of Apple and its crazy that they are selling the same phone for 100 dollars less!
When you add the phone to your cart it says this:
"iPhones are shipped inactive. If you have an existing number with another wireless carrier you will be able to transfer it during the activation process once you receive your device."
This sounds to me that you are not require to "sign on the dotted line to have it delivered" but instead receive an activation/plan-free phone.
Phone: Apple iPhone - 8 GB (Refurb) Remove | Change $249.00
Plan: Plans for iPhone can be selected once you receive your shipment.
Services: Services for iPhone can be selected once you receive your shipment.
I bought one of the refurbished 8GB ones in a store here in Virginia for $249 last week. No contract required.
How was the quality of the refurbished one? Scratches or anything like that?
hey Brian, what was the phone's condition when you purchased it? Did it look brand new, or did it have some scratches? Ive always been hesitant about buying refurbished electronics
It looked BRAND NEW (except it came in an AT&T box instead of the original one). No scratches or anything. it came with all the accessories too.
did you jail break it? and can you still use the other features of the iphone?
where in VA?
Hey Brian, Where in VA did you get the iPhone for without contract?
sterling va
Any updates on when the 3G iPhone is supposed to come out? I think i'm just going to pick this up while I wait for the 3G to come out, then wait some more for the price drop.
What are EDGE speeds anyway?
I nearly pulled the trigger on this today, but then thought "wait, 3G IS coming". When? Hmmm...$64,000 question, but there are others: more megapixels on the camera? Flash (for camera and for web - maybe that is already in there, don't have one and no time to Google it)? GPS? 64GB SSD or comparable so I can dish my iPod? Real speakerphone? Any MP3 ringtone my heart desires?
So, a couple questions beyond "3G, when?". Until I get a REAL 2 device --> 1 device product, I'm gonna keep my Curve and keep paying T-Mobile. IF that day comes though...I'll might even shell out $600 for the convenience...er...I mean $299 (be wary wary qwiet...Apple is listening...)
I'm betting AT&T's refurb is $100 cheaper than Apple's refurb because you have to sign a 2 year contract with AT&T to get it. Apple doesn't require you to have a contract.
no contract
They both talk about the same 2 year contract for when you activate the iPhone with iTunes.
"no contract"
Ordered!
I was on the fence about waiting for a 3G model, but at $250, it was a no-brainer. Unfortunately I have six weeks left on my Sprint contract, so my precious iPhone will be a brick until then. :-(
anyone has successfully set the order? i tried 3 visa cards (2 credit and 1 debit), but none of them pass the security code check?
Just did. 12:10 PM EST.
Just checked two retail stores here in Colorado (Boulder & Flatirons Mall). They both denied they have had or will have them in store. Apple site doesn't seem to have refurb iPhones listed for sale. You guys buy them all already???
I would imagine all the eBay sellers bought them already, like with the iPod Videos last year!
so i think i either missread or am confused, can you get a refurb instore? because the site says online only, but the engadget article appears to suggest otherwise. thanks for the help.
I'll buy when they are like $75 used.
So, if I have ATT now, but don't really want to sign another two years of my life away, can I just put the SIM card in and start dialing?
I tried swapping my sisters At&t Go-phone SIM into my iphone and it didn't recognize it, so I don't think it's as simple as swapping out.
Yes if you have a contract with AT&T you can take your sim out and drop it into any AT&T phone that requires contract (no prepaids). Also any unlocked phone. I am currently using a iphone 8gb with T-Mobile cause it's unlocked (which allows you to use it with any contract based service requiring a SIM card)
@Llane,
Not true about dropping in another AT&T sim. I have an AT&T Tilt with voice/data and the iPhone didn't recognize the sim. I'd like to be able to use either phone (need the Tilt to use Slingplayer mobile, MS Office mobile and GPS) interchangeably.
If I activate the iPhone, will I still be able to get 3G data on the Tilt while enrolled for data on the iPhone? Will AT&T recognize the use of 3G data and assess either overage charges or possibly shut down my account? I'd really rather not try to unlock/jailbreak the iPhone for the time being if not necessary.
I don't know about you guys but when I go to the website it says "*Requires 2-year plan, ordered during activation process. Limit one per customer."
You can't even activate the phone or sign a 2 year contract without going through iTunes so I wouldn't worry about the *. If you have AT&T already then you should be able to just switch the sim and follow the steps within iTunes.
So as an existing AT&T subscriber can I just buy this as a new customer, unlock it, pop my sim in and I'm good to go?
The "activation process" happens when you get the phone, not when you actually order the phone.
So, for those confused:
1. Order phone online for $249.
2. Pay $249 for phone.
3. Get phone.
4. Jailbreak phone.
5. Profit!
ok, so i have at&t already, but can i get an iphone and not sign the contract, but yet i want to turn off the data plan. is that possible to keep my current plan without having to upgrade my plan even if i unlock it?
You couldn't pay me to get one.
Really?
Because I think $249 is a small price to pay to look like an arrogant conformist.
Well they don't have the phones available on the Premium website that they use for business users. I called into their customer care and didn't have much luck getting help. He stated that they don't sell refurb phones on the business site (they do). He then told me that purchasing the phone via the regular consumer site would void out rate plan discounts I currently have. To muddy things up he then told me I could go into a physical store and purchase one no problem.
I got the same help from the business side called in and was told if I could get it cheeper anywhere else you might as well do that -but some companies don't offer referbs -hm not quite true
This is just another way to pull in more customers that will go will the flow of activating a 2-year contract.
He didn't mention anything about it voiding out my discounted plan however if it does it would be a simple fix.
Got news for anyone that's got a discount...you're not going to get it if on the iPhone...Premier member here, and they take it away on any iPhone lines.
i bought it an hour ago. i think during activation, you have to choose the plan. :[
Blah. I was going to purchase, but surprise, surprise AT&T won't let me because of their policy that the credit card billing address and shipping address must match.
Must have shipping and billing address match, but you can't have your credit card billing address be a P.O. Box. Turns out I'm a paranoid mofo and I send my credit cards stuff to a P.O. Box.
Oh well.
well i purchased one of these refurb iphones with a pre-existing at&t contract, and when you activate it, you have to agree to another 2 year contract. Which might suck for some people...but im not planning on transferring to another carrier. I have had nothing but satisfaction with at&t. The only small qualm I have with them is their plans. More money for less minutes than all the other carriers.. but I dont mind it as much because getting 5 bar service everywhere and friendly AMERICAN customer service reps, outweighs the one bad thing.
Good to know. Really if I have to sign a 2 year contract anyways, I may just opt for a free phone.
I read elsewhere during activation in itunes you can enter SSN of 999-99-9999 and it makes it a go phone that can be jailbroken. Can anyone attest to this before I pull the trigger?
Woah there! You have to give them your SSN to get a cell phone contract now? Forget that.
Still too expensive. Let me know when they're $50.
Do you have to activate to use the iPod features? Would that prevent one from using this as a iPod Touch? Currently even the 8 Gb Touch is $299.
last I heard, you have to either unlock it or buy a plan to use it as anything but a paper weight.
I wonder how easily you can unlock it without activation?
How do you purchase the phone? When I click "Buy it Now" it takes me to my At&t account page with no indication of where to go to purchase.
Do you need to be eligible for an upgrade to purchase this phone?
If you enter your zip code when asked and then check your shopping cart, you should see that the phone has been added.
Hmm I just called up 2 ATT stores here in Houston and they both denied having any or having ever sold any nor would they ever sell any refurb phones... wtf?
i bought the refurb iphone from apple.com on Mar 16, 2008 at 07:46 AM PDT. And I checked on the 18th March, they are all gone :p looks like i bought the last few refurbs...
Imagine my disappointment, I jumped all over a refurbished one last week at the Apple store for $349. Now this! The ATT sales rep on the phone I talked to (I didn't really push him) made it sound like this deal was new activation, all online only.
I called Apple and after being told they don't pricematch to other retailers, the rep did offer me a case, so I picked up a $50 leather case for free. Since I was going to buy one anyhow, it's better than nothing.
What is everyone talking about..? I just checked the website and they're still there.
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=Apple+iPhone+-+8+GB+(Refurb)&q_sku=sku1250005
OMFG! I'm so getting one now! (I bought an iPod touch for 300$, sell it on ebay for 200$ and add 50$ and voila, iPhone here i come!
I just got one and i am so so so happy
This sounds too good to be true. No activation and no contract?
They say a plan is required later upon activation. But can you simply use one of the many jailbreaks, unlock it and use your own carrier?
so can anyone confirm there won't be any bills from at&t later with a 2 yr cancellation fee also do you have to activate through itunes before i can go and unlock it with say ziphone i unlocked my 4gb super easy with it?
Figures. Leave on my lunchbreak so I can pickup my fresh 8gig from the Apple webstore off my porch. Come back, hop on Engadget and find this.
5 minutes later i've setup a return for my iPhone from Apple and bought a refurb.
Why should I waste so much money if this is just a holdover until I get 3G? I knew I should have waited a week.
So if i have Tmobile, can i buy this refurb and jailbreak?
I know eveyrone keeps stating that theres no contract with this purchase...but i also read that u have to purchase it during activation, thats why im confused.
I so want an iPhone but they won't even sell me the unactivated version since I'm in Montana. I have to give them a zip code from Washington before they even let me see the cart. Damn you, AT&T!
Could someone link to the page where they show their payment options? I REALLY need to know if they accept international payments, but I can't find it.
If you want an iPod touch, it might make more sense to get one of these, use ZiPhone to jailbreak and activate it (and optionally unlock it), and then use it SIM-less - $50 less than an iTouch of the same size, and it has a camera, microphone, and built-in speaker (and from what I've seen, a higher-quality screen). Plus, you can then throw in a prepaid SIM to use with phone calls in case your normal phone is incapacitated.
basically what i plan on doing. question, i easily unlocked my 4gb version after activating it with an at&t sim that came with a phone off of ebay. Will i be able to do the same with this then unlock it or can i just unlock it without activating through itunes at all?
ZiPhone lets you jailbreak, activate, and unlock any iPhone straight out of the box. The iPhone never has to touch iTunes before you run it (although it'll likely pop open when you plug it in, you can close it or just ignore it, ZiPhone uses it's own version of AppleMobileDevice.dll, so it doesn't care if iTunes is "connected" to the phone.).
I have been wanting an iphone for a while now. I live in Canada, and we do not have the iphone yet. I tried to order, but they wont ship to Canada, so I was going to use a friend of mines address in the US, but now it wont let me order online or on the phone becasue my cc billing address doesnt match the shipping address.
Anyone know where I can get an iphone, 4 or 8 gb for sub 300 smackers?
@Onelove
Apple overcharge for a device that cannot match most smart phones for connectivity and features then lock the owners into an over priced contract. They then sell phones that probably only came back because the box contents were incomplete for $150 less then retail and allow the buyer to get a better deal than the mugs who paid top dollar.
And you say ATT is the worst co in America!
You have to get a two year contract for this..BOO!
I just bought 2 refurb iphones from Apple and they will not honor any price matching. Apple is money hungry!!!!
I just got mine. It says to activate the phone you have to go through AT&T and pick a plan, but if you don't activate it, then there is no need. Also there are some things in the agreement when you buy that says you can activate for use with a Go card, so worse case scenario if you don't want to unlock it the jailbreak way, you can do that just so that you can use all it's features. That's my .02
I'm already an AT&T customer, so I assume I can just pop in my SIM card in and not have to pay anything. But if I do that, won't I lose out on EDGE support and visual voicemail? Is there any way to upgrade my current plan to get unlimited EDGE and visual voicemail without signing a new 2 year contract?
Drat, I tried to buy this morning, went through the steps, I was going to get it for $249 on a no commitment pricing (same price as with new contract). Forgot my CC and figured I would just do it when I got home... SOLD OUT!
hey quick question. i have an HTC TyTN (i know, good taste :-)) anyways, i want an iPhone cuz i dropped this and now the sound doesn't work. I have a family plan with unlimited text on all lines (it's on 20 bucks a month, great deal) if i upgrade to the iPhone and take the 20 dollar plan will i only get 200 texts? or will i still get my unlimited? i need unlimited and i don't feel like paying even more than i do.