A:Answer Many “refurbished” Apple devices are items that were sold and shipped then later returned to the store. Because they were shipped to a customer, they can no longer be legally sold as new. These would be “open box” items. A few of the devices are ones which a customer purchased and reported a problem with so they returned it. In those cases, Apple will send it through a battery of tests and if it passes all the tests, the device can be sold as refurbished. A refurbished device will be 100% tested before it is sold, so in most cases, it is going to have less chance of failure than a brand new device of the exact same model.
One thing to note with Refurbished devices is that the AppleCare warranty on them is generally just 90 days, and not the full year you get with a new device. You should keep that in mind when buying, as the price discount may not be as good of a deal without the warranty too. I would recommend getting an extended AppleCare or Apple care+ for your refurbished device...
