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iPhone 13 mini Looking for iPhone 13 mini in Apple refurbished store….

benji888

benji888

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 27, 2006
1,889
410
United States
…anyone know the pattern these days? I wasn’t paying attention until after apple’s event, were they selling new iPhone 13 mini up until Tuesday, or has it been out of stock for a while? They don’t have them on clearance and none in the refurbished store yet since the event. I know that Apple usually will have refurbs of discontinued products available shortly after it’s discontinued, but, as I said haven’t been paying attention, wasn’t planning on upgrade but, I have the 2020 SE and don’t think I want a bigger phone, the 13 mini seems just right.
 
Oh, was going to mention, so I prefer to get from Apple refurbished as it will have Apple warranty, but, if it’s not going to happen, will look to gazelle or elsewhere, but, I’m sure everyone will run out of stock soon
 
When I read the article here about the possible discontinuation of the 13 Mini, I went to check the Apple website and they were still selling 13 minis on Monday with about a week shipping depending on the color. I thought "discontinued" meant they would just sell what they have until they were gone, I didn't realize they would disappear from the store or I would have picked one up to replace my 12 mini. They obviously still have new ones laying around, so I wonder what they plan to do with them. I'll be doing the same as you, checking the refurbished store to see if any show up.
 
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sometimes they put new discontinued devices on clearance, but, most likely they will set a certain amount aside for apple care replacements, or maybe all the new ones still available. IDK, sometimes they send them to the retailers and they sell them all off. In any case, if they were still selling new ones Monday, I'm thinking there's still time to find them refurbished, just have to catch them when they drop to the site, in the coming days or weeks, I'm sure they'll go fast.
 
Walk in to retail Apple Stores if some are near your location. They are selling the remaining stock but at no discount. Call before hand to confirm stock / if they actually are doing what I said (our stores here do, in Hong Kong)
 
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I don't live near any apple stores.

looks like the store is down (including refurb section) until pre-order time (8 am for me) for the new phones. I will probably be asleep as I work evenings, but, if I wake for bathroom needs I will try to remember to check the website, otherwise I'll be up a few hours later and check then.
 
So nothing yet, but I’m considering eBay refurbished, comes with a 1 year warranty, anyone do this? I’m not sure if I should wait, what if Apple doesn’t put any up and instead gives then to the carriers? If I wait I may not be able to get the color I want, and gazelle is out, they only had a few the other day
 
If you like pink, metro by t-mo has new 128 g (probably locked for ? months)
product red (edit: new), black (edit: new open box only), 128 g at best buy
can't find any more new ones on main sites, (I didn't try all the carriers).

I just don't want to pay that much, going refurbished, waiting just a couple days, scared if apple doesn't drop any the rest will be out of stock or prices going up, people are already jacking up prices for new ones on eBay.
 
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benji888 said:
If you like pink, metro by t-mo has new 128 g (probably locked for ? months)
product red, black new 128 g at best buy
can't find any more new ones on main sites, (I didn't try all the carriers).

I just don't want to pay that much, going refurbished, waiting just a couple days, scared if apple doesn't drop any the rest will be out of stock or prices going up, people are already jacking up prices for new ones on eBay.
Click to expand...
Metro website has them for 430 - though need to go in store.
 
so all supplies of this are dwindling fast, apple has all kinds of refurb iPhone 12 and even 13 pro but no minis, so, I'm not sure if they will, but I'll keep checking....

however, I want a new battery, so, decided to get a brand new 512 g on eBay before they are out (7 blue were available), even though it's way more than I wanted to spend, but, if apple posts any refurbs I have 30 days to return, so I may not open it right away.
 
Ok I know I’m not imagining things but those 12 minis are gone already, I can’t check every hour while at work
 
Ok, so, the 512GB 13 mini new blue I ordered from eBay for $727 came today, I’m going to open it, since every time I check, (more than several times a day), apple has not posted any iphone 13 mini refurbs for sale, so get ready, as soon as I open it apple will post some, or if not today probably mon or Tuesday next week.

my current phone is 3yrs 5 mos old and down to 85% battery (says “service”? I would think that would be at 70%, but what do I know?), so I want battery life to be the best, not into battery packs, so I decided I had to have a 13 mini with a new battery and those options are very limited, in fact stock is more limited today than last week. (Apple is the only one I can find that puts new batteries in the refurbished models.) The seller I bought from only has pink and red left, almost out. The prices on new ones with lower capacity are too high… best I could find was around $618 or so for 128GB (and that’s from Hong Kong), so, but if you want to go to $800 and up ebayers have jacked up the prices on new 13 minis.
 
ok, so I open it and it won’t turn on, I guess it’s old stock, battery drained? Plug it in and low battery symbol.
 
benji888 said:
ok, so I open it and it won’t turn on, I guess it’s old stock, battery drained? Plug it in and low battery symbol.
Click to expand...

This is totally normal. I got an Apple Watch Series 7 from the Walmart deal in August and even though it was brand new sealed, the battery was completely dead.
 
Zorn said:
This is totally normal. I got an Apple Watch Series 7 from the Walmart deal in August and even though it was brand new sealed, the battery was completely dead.
Click to expand...
Funny, I just bought an S7 SS for almost half price right after the event, seeing how the S9 barely improved anything. It must have been at the back of the warehouse since day 1, the watch took overnight to be recharged to even show the welcome screen, and another few hours to be charged back to 100%. But after that the battery seems to act normal, I seldom see less than 50% even before I sleep.
 
benji888 said:
ok, so I open it and it won’t turn on, I guess it’s old stock, battery drained? Plug it in and low battery symbol.
Click to expand...
Normal I think, just means your phone was manufactured more than a year ago. I have a spare 13mini I keep in a drawer (OFF with no sim card), the battery drains down to less than 5% after 8-9 months. My understanding is new iPhones are never truly OFF.
 
For what it’s worth I saw Best Buy still sells new iPhone 13 mini’s. If I didn’t have a car build, I’d pick one up myself
 
YoitsTmac said:
For what it’s worth I saw Best Buy still sells new iPhone 13 mini’s. If I didn’t have a car build, I’d pick one up myself
Click to expand...
Not anymore, just checked, there's no option to buy it. To the OP, I suggest you check out swappa. There's alot ranging from fair to mint. Now they are all used so no warranty.
 
So, I purchased a brand new 512 blu 13 mini from an eBay seller for $727, more than I wanted to pay, but, only other new ones were $612 and up, but for only 128 and coming from Hong Kong, which are still up, so, I'm wondering about those being legit. No more new 13 minis anywhere that I know of, (except a few on eBay with jacked up prices $900+), or maybe locked ones from some carriers?

I've been checking Apple's refurbished section at least a couple times a day and no minis, lots of various 12 models, but no 13 minis (no 12 minis either, except for a couple hours one night). So, maybe this is the best I could do, I guess not a terrible price, since the 128 was that price when it first came out.

So, I don't feel at all like I jumped the gun getting the new one since I'm not seeing apple refurbished ones. (I decided I had to have a new battery).

Oh, and I have to say I love it! I haven't been this excited about an iPhone since going from the 3gs to the iPhone 5. (although the haptic engine is a close second, (6s?)).

daddyd302 said:
Not anymore, just checked, there's no option to buy it. To the OP, I suggest you check out swappa. There's alot ranging from fair to mint. Now they are all used so no warranty.
Click to expand...
I typically keep my iPhones for around 3 years, and decided between this and the fact apple may not make a new mini in future, I wanted one with a new battery so it would last as long as possible, only way to do that was either Apple refurbished or brand new.
 
I’ve been checking apples certified refurbished iPhones daily and they’ve had plenty of 12 models (except mini), sometimes 13 models, which don’t last long, and no minis. Maybe after October event, if that happens, they will have more refurbished devices but at this point I think I got the best deal (for 13 mini 256/512 w/new battery) for having waited too long. (Maybe I could have found a 256 GB model new or Apple refurb if I’d been looking before they discontinued it.)
 
I went to an Apple Store not long ago (I live in Europe though) and they didn't have the 13 minis anymore since the Apple event, but I talked to some employees and they could look on their phone, and they still had some 13 minis in stock (all new). It wasn't many, though. If you don't mind buying a new one, you could try that.
 
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