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JensenKA

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2023
47
62
So it finally happened. After over a decade of iPhone ownership I cracked my first screen.

While leaving for work one morning my phone slipped out of my hand and landed face first on the driveway outside of my home. Despite having both a glass screen protector and a case, the top right corner of the phone chipped. Thankfully due to its location it’s largely cosmetic and doesn’t affect the use of the phone itself, despite how much it annoys me that it’s there.

Of course my 2-year AppleCare has already run it’s course, and while I intended to switch to monthly payments after that, my window to do so closed before I had the opportunity to do so. My own fault there I suppose.

But now I’ve run into a conundrum. I was intending on getting the battery replaced soon, and with a cracked screen Apple likely would ask that I get the screen replaced in addition to the battery, making a $90 service fee balloon up to over $300.

It seems rather foolish to drop that much on an old phone, so I’m thinking of maybe upgrading to an iPhone 13 Mini.

Unlike the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 Mini, I don’t see the iPhone 13 Mini listed on Apple’s refurbished products page, are we expecting them to add it once the iPhone 13 Mini is no longer sold new?

In addition, I’m guessing Apple’s on a “no exceptions” policy for cracked screens with trade-ins, no matter how minor, meaning I’d have to get the phone repaired before they would accept it for a trade in. Is it my best best to just sell it myself “as is” in that case?

Or should I just get the battery replaced, screen fixed, and keep using the iPhone 12 Mini as is?

I’d love any opinions on the matter.
Thanks.
 

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maerz001

macrumors 68020
Nov 2, 2010
2,428
2,320
The 13 mini was already in the refurb store and will when supply changes. That’s normal. I guess also tomorrow price will drop. Or buy from other stores.

I would not invest $300 in a 12 which is worth not much more in the used market
 

JensenKA

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2023
47
62
The 13 mini was already in the refurb store and will when supply changes. That’s normal. I guess also tomorrow price will drop. Or buy from other stores.

I would not invest $300 in a 12 which is worth not much more in the used market

I can’t seem to find evidence of the iPhone 13 Mini being ever available on the Apple Refurbished Store via the various trackers out there, but it’s possible in putting in some parameter wrong.

I do see that a 12 Mini 64GB was going for $439. Presuming the 13 Mini pops up around that price on the store it seemed worthwhile to just drop the extra $110 to move up to a marginally better device with an extra year or two of software support to boot.
 

maerz001

macrumors 68020
Nov 2, 2010
2,428
2,320
I can’t seem to find evidence of the iPhone 13 Mini being ever available on the Apple Refurbished Store via the various trackers out there, but it’s possible in putting in some parameter wrong.

I do see that a 12 Mini 64GB was going for $439. Presuming the 13 Mini pops up around that price on the store it seemed worthwhile to just drop the extra $110 to move up to a marginally better device with an extra year or two of software support to boot.
Germany https://www.apple.com/de/shop/produ...phone-13-mini-128-gb-mitternacht-ohne-vertrag

for the uk just the 512 gb is available:

us as well:
 

bevsb2

Contributor
Nov 23, 2012
4,477
13,726
I can’t seem to find evidence of the iPhone 13 Mini being ever available on the Apple Refurbished Store via the various trackers out there, but it’s possible in putting in some parameter wrong.

I do see that a 12 Mini 64GB was going for $439. Presuming the 13 Mini pops up around that price on the store it seemed worthwhile to just drop the extra $110 to move up to a marginally better device with an extra year or two of software support to boot.
I recently bought an open box Mini 12 on ebay from a seller in Canada for $319. Of course with tax and shipping from Canada it was more. The phone is in new condition and has 100 percent battery health. However I would only buy a phone on eBay from a seller with a lot of 100% positive feedback.
 

NT1440

macrumors G5
May 18, 2008
14,729
21,367
I can’t seem to find evidence of the iPhone 13 Mini being ever available on the Apple Refurbished Store via the various trackers out there, but it’s possible in putting in some parameter wrong.

I do see that a 12 Mini 64GB was going for $439. Presuming the 13 Mini pops up around that price on the store it seemed worthwhile to just drop the extra $110 to move up to a marginally better device with an extra year or two of software support to boot.
I bought mine about a month back directly off the normal Apple Store website, no refurbishment.

 
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