• Checking the first iPhone activation. How to find out the activation date of iPad (iPhone, iPod)

    When ordering a new one iPhone smartphone from abroad or purchased second hand, the future owner often doubts the authenticity of the phone. After all, the market for such gadgets is teeming with analogues and counterfeits that are cheaper, but have nothing in common with a real smartphone. Check IPhone IMEI and inspect it carefully appearance- the first thing you need to do is to avoid running into a cheap and low-quality item. However, it is not always possible to quickly carry out a verification procedure when purchasing, and not everyone knows how to carry it out.

    How to spot a fake by appearance

    Before you check IPhone authenticity according to IMEI, it is necessary to conduct a preliminary inspection of the device. If the fake is not crude, it may not always have significant differences with the original. Also difficult are the new ones that are just appearing on sale, and the domestic consumer is not always aware of the details of the appearance.

    In most cases, you can notice some discrepancy in appearance. First of all, look carefully at the package and the device itself:
    . The original iPhone does not have a retractable antenna, stylus or memory card slot.
    . Rear panel at the present Apple devices cannot be removed, you cannot see the battery, much less place it under it (as in standard phones) SIM card.
    . This gadget only works with one SIM card and a specially cut one.

    By appearance, you will be able to independently distinguish a crude fake from a high-quality original item. On real iPhone on the case you can find an inscription that leads many to believe that the device is not original: “Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.” In America, they only develop the functionality and appearance of the device, and the entire assembly is carried out in factories in China, so, despite this inscription, you will receive a high-quality device.

    How to distinguish from the original iPhone by internal functions

    If the appearance does not alarm you, then to check the quality of the device it is worth turning it on. Take a close look at the menu. Since Russian is one of the most difficult languages, and analog manufacturers expensive phones They obviously save on translation, but sometimes you can notice crazy mistakes in menu items and application names.

    Go to the store AppStore applications, most often the connection fails, or the application store icon redirects you to Google Play Market.

    What smartphones are called “gray”

    Above, we discussed some rather crude counterfeits of a device from a famous brand. However, there are tubes that look completely indistinguishable, but working with them will be very difficult. Imported phones fall into this category. First of all, in order to install the software, you will need to use the Cydia service rather than the standard application store. All user support services and ease of use of the official device are not available for gray tube holders.

    Checking the IMEI of an iPhone is one way to verify the origin of the device. Pipes officially imported into the country have a guarantee of more than stable operation applications and service.

    What is IMEI

    Most often, users learn about the existence of an IMEI code if the phone has been stolen. This is a code that cannot be faked, since it is written in a part of the device’s memory that cannot be formatted. It is absolutely unique for each device, through it mobile operator possible to find lost phone. For owners of expensive models, this is extremely important.

    It will also come in handy when purchasing to make sure that the box and instructions match the device. This way you can eliminate the purchase of stolen equipment. It will also be useful to check the IMEI of the IPhone in the police databases about stolen devices. You should refrain from purchasing if a match was found in the database. You can find such a database on the Internet, as this is a common practice among owners of iOS devices.

    How to check IMEI iPhone

    In order to know if a gadget is lost, its identifier number, depending on the model, it is necessary to carry out various manipulations. The easiest way to find out this number IPhone owners first generation, for which it is indicated on back cover housings.
    Later, the manufacturer abandoned the practice of applying this code to the case. In subsequent models, the IMEI code, consisting of 15 digits, can be found on the box sticker and for comparison in one of the menu items or displayed on the screen using a special command.

    You can check the IMEI of an iPhone 5s or another model using the command *#06# or find it out through the “About device” menu item.

    How to find out if your device is locked to one carrier

    There are several sites on the Internet that can show maximum information about the device using the identifier number. For example, it is possible to find out information about blocking a device for one operator. In order to obtain this data, enter the IMEI code on any of the sites that provide these services and confirm it.

    If the phone status is indicated as Locked, this means that the device can only be used with SIM cards from one operator. Operator information is most often listed below or next to it.

    What is Activation Locked

    On devices with iOS 7 appeared very useful service- activation blocking. On present moment more than 80% of users successfully use this option. In order to start using it, you don’t need anything other than checking the IMEI of your iPhone 5 and viewing it. You can view the activation lock status on the iCloud portal. If it is enabled, then you need to ask the seller for your Apple ID and access password in order to remove the block.

    If the seller of the gadget cannot provide this data, then you should refrain from purchasing, as this means that the phone is stolen and blocked by the owner. If you find yourself in a situation where your device is lost, it is currently possible to lock it through iTunes.

    How to check the activation date of a smartphone

    There is another way to check your smartphone data. In order to get to the required section of the site to check the status of your smartphone, type in search bar browser: “Check IMEI iPhone Apple.com". On the website, you must enter a 15-digit IMEI in the field and the request will be processed using the manufacturer’s servers. Through this form you can check by IMEI. If you see “activated” in the column, this means that the smartphone is not new and was previously used. This is very important, since Apple devices have a worldwide warranty, which is calculated not by the date of sale, but by activation. The gadget lock can be removed with the help of specialists. They can be found online or in service centers, but you should be wary of scammers who only take money for unlocking, but don’t do the procedure itself. However, the registration date cannot be changed, best case scenario your device will have several months of warranty left, and in the worst case, this period will be completely expired, and if a malfunction occurs, you will not be able to contact the official service.

    Thus, when purchasing, it is worth checking the IMEI of the Apple IPhone to know that the phone:

    • Officially imported into the country.
    • Not a fake.
    • Was not stolen.
    • Haven't used it before.

    In the last year, the Internet has simply been flooded with stores selling supposedly “new” iPhones at prices 2-2.5 times lower than the adequate minimum price for a new device.

    There is nothing criminal in itself about selling refurbished phones; each product has its own audience. But the “disgrace” on the part of such stores is that no one tells you that the phone has been restored. And a person who is not very knowledgeable about Apple technology and someone who doesn’t know how to check a phone may not notice the catch until after a certain amount of time, technical problems begin with the phone.

    Remember once and for all: there are no customs confiscations, there are no sales due to store closures. All this is an attempt to lull your vigilance and sell you a phone restored by someone unknown and unknown where, under the guise of a new one.

    In this article we will talk specifically about unofficially restored phones by the hands of who knows what craftsmen.

    There are also “like new” versions of phones that Apple itself restores and sells at discounted prices with an official one-year warranty. But such phones are sold in white boxes with the inscription “Apple Certified Pre-Owned” and, as a rule, no one will try to sell them to you under the guise of new ones.

    And so, the most faithful, the most reliable and the most correct method iPhone checks- this is a check serial number on the Apple website.

    Remember, it’s on the Apple website! No clicks on the request “check iPhone by IMEI” in Yandex. Only the Apple website will give you correct information regarding the device (occasionally there are failures in displaying information or maintenance work, but 95% of the time the information can be trusted). The link is given below:

    Checking iPhone by IMEI on the Apple website

    Now let's move on to the results of this check and their meaning:

    1) New device.

    Orange exclamation mark and inscriptions:

    "You need to activate iPhone" - when checking iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch,Mac.

    All these inscriptions mean that the device is new and is waiting for its activation (first turn on) in order to display the expiration date of the warranty, since the warranty period is calculated from the moment the device is activated.

    Therefore, if when checking on the Apple website you see one of these inscriptions, the device is new.

    2) The device is no longer new, but is still under warranty.

    What is important to us is the third paragraph with the inscription “Right to maintenance and repair: granted.” And just below the end date of the warranty period is displayed. Accordingly, the phone was activated for the first time on this date (minus 1 year).

    Accordingly, such a phone is NOT new. Yes, it may not have been used, yes, the films may not have been removed from it, but formally, regarding activation, it is not new.

    3) The device is not new and the warranty has already expired.

    In the third line there is the inscription: “Right to maintenance and repair: the period has expired.”

    In 95% of cases, you will see exactly this inscription on a restored phone, which means that the first activation was made more than a year ago, therefore there is no chance that this phone is new and cannot be. You may first demonstratively tear the “factory film” on the box, the films may also be on the phone itself, but all these points are faked, but it is impossible to fake an entry in the Apple registry.

    Therefore, this is a restored phone, and it was restored from spare parts of unknown quality and manufacturer, since the goal is to reduce the cost as much as possible. That is why the prices for these phones are so “tasty” and so attract those who like to save money.

    The trouble-free operation of these phones rarely exceeds 1-2 months. Then the crookedly soldered parts begin to fail one by one and there is little point in repairing these phones. You will just spend the amount on repairs that, if you paid extra, you could buy a new phone.

    It is worth noting that one of the favorite “excuses” of these unfortunate sellers is: “we sell Eurotest, they are not subject to warranty and therefore you can see erroneous information on the site.”

    This is all nonsense and substitution of concepts. Just like Eurotest, if it is new, it is perfectly accepted in Russian authorized service centers. The main thing is that the phone has the same model number as the one officially sold in Russia. You can read more about this in another.

    We, in turn, responsibly declare that only NEW equipment is sold in our store. You can check any product by serial number and it will correspond to point 1 in this article!

    When purchasing an iPhone, many buyers turn to friends who know Apple technology for help, which is true in principle and allows them to avoid annoying mistakes. However, not everyone has such a useful companion, and in this case, Apple’s own services will come to the rescue.

    Naturally, the high cost of smartphones, compared to other countries, stimulates the growth of the “gray” market, which has its own rules. When importing devices from abroad, unofficial resellers (in other words, resellers) are often forced to activate the iPhone in order to unlock it (break it in unilaterally contract with mobile operator) or take it through customs as a personal gadget. At the same time, the smartphone is further positioned as new, which is not entirely true.

    What's the difference between activation and turning on your iPhone for the first time?

    Do not confuse Activation with turning on the device for the first time. You can activate your iPhone only when you connect the device with a valid SIM card inserted to the Internet. If one of the above conditions is not present, turning on the smartphone will not activate it.

    Can I delete or hide my activation data?

    The activation process is irreversible. If the device is activated, then it is impossible to delete information about it, even if you resort to reset iPhone or procedure.

    Actually, the iPhone activation procedure is for Apple the starting point for the device’s use. That is, the company believes that you have been using the smartphone not from the date of purchase, but from the moment it was first activated. Naturally, from the same date Apple's warranty begins to expire.

    How to find out the iPhone's first activation date and remaining warranty period

    1. Go to the section of the Apple website to check your rights to service and support (link);

    2. Enter serial iPhone number, which can be found on the box, case or in the menu Settings → Basic → About this device;

    In addition, IMEI and serial number information can be found on the welcome screen when you first turning on iPhone– click on the “ i" in the lower right corner.

    3. In the third point "Right to maintenance and repair" there should be a status "Provided";

    4. Subtract 365 days from the warranty expiration date indicated below - this will be the date of first activation of the iPhone.

    Examples of information received about the right to iPhone service and support after verification

    New Not activated iPhone(this should be indicated if you are buying a new Apple smartphone):

    Recently activated iPhone (no more than three months) under warranty:

    Activated used iPhone. Warranty expired:

    Why did I get the message "this serial number corresponds to a product that has been replaced" when checking?

    If, when checking the IMEI or serial number, a message appears with the text: "Unfortunately, this serial number corresponds to a product that has been replaced..."— avoid buying such a device, it is not new! We talked about this case in more detail.

    When purchasing a previously used iPhone, you need to know how to check it by IMEI. This is special identification number device, confirming its authenticity and originality. After checking, you can find out a lot of information about the phone, for example: the date of its purchase and activation, whether it is refurbished, its OS version and much more. How to do this? The following describes several basic and proven methods.

    There are 4 main ways to do this. Let's take a closer look at them.

    1. For the first option, you need to enter *#06# in the dialing line. The phone will automatically perform the combination and the IMEI code will be displayed in the window that appears.

    1. Go to the settings menu and open “General” - “About this device”. An information panel will open where the IMEI code, model and other individual data will be entered.

    1. On back side factory box. In addition to the IMEI code, on the back there is the device serial number and brief information about him.

    1. Take a look at the back cover of the phone.

    IMEI information is required to check iPhone Activation Lock. If it is activated, then new owner will not be able to enter your data and fully use the device. By checking, you can make sure that the iPhone is really new and has not been used before. If the phone is purchased secondhand, then you will know exactly the date of its initial activation.

    Compare the code on the box and the phone

    First of all, after the iPhone falls into your hands, you need to compare the information indicated on the box and in the device settings. If all numbers, including IMEI, serial number and model, match, then you can proceed to next stage checks. If differences are noticed, this indicates that the box is not original and was taken from another device.

    Attention! Do not purchase an iPhone if the IMEI code on the box does not match what is specified in the device settings.

    In this case, it is worth thinking about the origin of the device and the reasons why they are trying to slip you a completely different box. There may be the most different options, for example, the real owner had his iPhone stolen or lost it, and stranger tries to sell a found or stolen item. In this case, the real owner will contact the police and the device will be wanted. This situation can bring you a lot of trouble, so avoid such dubious transactions.

    Check through the official Apple website

    There are many different services for IMEI checks, but first of all you should contact the official website. There you are guaranteed to receive reliable and free information. This instruction will not be difficult if you follow the step-by-step guide:

    1. Find out the IMEI code of the device. How to do this is described above.
    2. We open the corresponding section on the Apple website for checking - https://checkcoverage.apple.com/ru/ru/. In the space provided, enter the IMEI that you found out earlier, and a special code for checking for spam. Click “Continue”.

    1. We study the received data. Under the picture of the iPhone its model and IMEI number are displayed.

    Under the first paragraph there is information about the actual date of purchase.

    Attention! It is important that the first paragraph contains green tick. If this parameter is not present, then your device is not original and has nothing to do with Apple does not have.

    The following shows the deadline notice technical support devices. If there is an orange exclamation mark to the left of the inscription, then warranty period The phone number has expired and the device is no longer subject to factory service or telephone support. The third paragraph stipulates the possibility of repairing the phone at official service centers.

    Thus, you have received reliable information from the official Apple website about the originality of the device, as well as the timing of its maintenance and support. You can also make sure that the case has not been changed, since the color on the website and “in real life” will be different.

    Using this instruction, absolutely all Apple devices are checked, including iPad, iMac, MacBook, iPod, etc.

    Enter the code on the International Mobile Equipment Identity website

    This resource is no less popular than the official Apple website and provides the same reliable information, but in greater detail. Let's look at the step-by-step instructions.

    1. Enter the website http://www.imei.info/ in the browser line.

    1. On home page Enter the IMEI code in the appropriate column. We pass below quick check by clicking on the “I am not a Robot” checkbox. Click the “Check” button to the right of the entered code.

    1. After this, detailed information about the device will be displayed on the monitor screen. You can find out the phone model, year of manufacture and others technical parameters. If this information does not seem enough, click on the “Read More” button to get more data.

    Both of the above methods are reliable.

    Attention! To obtain a complete package of information about the device, we recommend using several IMEI checking services.

    Let's look at a few more popular ways to check iPhone by IMEI code. All described web resources may differ in the amount and volume of information provided.

    International mobile phone verification service SNDeepInfo

    For more details about the device, there is another one popular service– SNDeepinfo. If when you enter the serial number, no result is displayed, you should think about the originality of the gadget and postpone its purchase. Let's look at the step-by-step instructions:

    1. Go to the official website of the SNDeepinfo service.

    1. Make sure that the “Apple” column is highlighted in the panel above the IMEI code entry line. Next we enter personal code gadget in the corresponding line and put a tick in front of the inscription “I am not a robot”. This standard check to spam. Click the “Continue” button.

    1. At the beginning of the page there will be a picture in the style of a warranty sticker. It contains the phone model, its IMEI, as well as information about whether it is stolen.

    Free of charge, this service provides information about technical specifications device, IMEI code decoding, color and originally intended region of sale.

    To find out which countries the iPhone is adapted for, you need to enter the letters of the phone model on the same website, as shown in the screenshot below.

    In order to find out your phone model, you need to go to “Settings” - “General” - “About this device”. In the menu that appears there will be a corresponding line “Model”. On the site you only need to enter the penultimate two letters (circled in the screenshot below).

    We enter the data and get the following result:

    For an additional fee, you can find out additional information about your iPhone on the same service:

    • country of purchase;
    • name of the organization that completed the sale;
    • the estimated and recorded date of purchase of the device;
    • information about the status of the “Find my iPhone” function;
    • iCloud information.

    Checking the authenticity of the back cover of a smartphone

    The authenticity of an Apple gadget can be determined by the first external signs. Immediately pay attention to the back cover of the device. In all models starting from iPhone 5, the IMEI code is written on the cover. In older versions, the serial number information is printed on the SIM card slot.

    There are 3 more main factors based on which we can draw conclusions about the originality of the iPhone. You just need to look at the back cover.

    1. There should not be any crooked or blurry inscriptions, hieroglyphs, typos, etc. All letters are made very carefully and accurately. If you see that the words on the back cover are uneven or sloppy, then you are most likely holding a replica.
    2. Mandatory inscription on the surface of the cover: iPhone, Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China. Next comes the phone model and certification mark.
    3. The cover cannot be removed simply by hand. On original device In any case, it will be secured with bolts or will not be removable at all.

    Attention! Even if the iPhone seems original by all external features, do not forget to check its IMEI code on the appropriate sites.

    Summing up

    When buying an iPhone secondhand, be careful and carefully check the phone for all the signs described above. It is better to spend a little more time on the verification procedure, but you will be sure that you bought a high-quality and original product.

    • Apple official website;
    • IMEI website;
    • Service SNDeepinfo;
    • External inspection of the back cover.

    The above describes several ways to check an iPhone for originality. Choose the one that is most convenient for you. There is another very simple one and quick way verify the authenticity of the phone. To do this, just go to App Store. The problem is that no matter how good the replica is, it will still end up in the Google Play store.

    Video instructions

    This video describes some ways to help you get detailed information about the originality and condition of your Apple device.

    If your iPhone was purchased second-hand, then you will certainly be interested in date of its production. Firstly, sellers may deceive you in order to pass off an ancient device as a more recent one. Secondly, even if the iPhone looks great on the outside, this does not mean that it was not actively used. Please remember that the device's battery is designed to last 300 cycloV fully charged and discharge, after which it begins to gradually die. Therefore, knowing the age of your iPhone is very important.

    Well, if you bought your iPhone officially - in a store - then you will also be interested to know how long it was gathering dust in the warehouse, and then on the showroom shelf, wouldn’t it?

    Today we will tell you how to find out date of production and activation of the device. To do this you don't need to know anything additional information, except for the iPhone serial number. By the way, everything written below is also relevant for the iPod Touch.

    For those who haven't kept in hands iPhone, but really wants to buy it, we explain how to find out the iPhone serial number right when purchasing. Find a silver icon on one of the device’s desktops "Settings" and click on it:

    Scroll down and select the first item in the third section of settings - "Basic", click on it, then select the top item - "About the device". Scroll down to "Serial number" and you will see an 11-character code like:

    8892 9 KST4NS

    You and I are interested third, fourth and fifth digits this serial number. The third digit shows the year of production. 7 - 2007, 8 - 2008, etc.

    The fourth and fifth digits are serial number weeks of production of the device. This number can range from 01 to 52.

    Now you can easily determine that an iPhone with the serial number given above was manufactured at 29th week 2009, i.e. during the period from July 13 to July 19.

    If you are interested, the first two digits of the serial number are the identifier of the plant where the device was assembled, and the last six are a code unique to each device.

    For reference, here is the 2009 calendar with week numbers:

    That's not all. By serial number you can also check iPhone legality. Go to https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do and enter the serial number. The location you choose in the list below does not play a special role.

    You will see something like this:

    Follow the link See full coverage details:

    Pay attention to the inscription Estimated Expiration Date: September 12, 2010. This means that the iPhone was first activated in the store on September 12, 2009, and the one-year warranty countdown began from this date.

    If the iPhone has never been activated, which is quite possible if it is locked, then you will see an error like Please activate your iPhone. We are unable to display coverage details because your iPhone has not been activated.

    Good luck with your iPhone purchases and equally successful use of it;) Don’t let the sellers deceive you.

    Read more: