I'm part of the elder millennial crowd, so I might be a bit behind the times! I have an iPhone 11 that I no longer use, and it's still in fantastic shape. The only issues are that the lightning port is loose, making it unable to charge that way (I usually use a wireless charger), and it's currently locked since I switched from Xfinity Wireless to T-Mobile. Unfortunately, I've got an outstanding balance with Xfinity that prevents me from unlocking it unless I pay up. I'm considering what to do with this locked device that can't charge with a cord. Should I just sell it on Facebook or something for parts, or is there a better way to handle this? I did try one of those cash-for-phones kiosks, but it wouldn't recognize the phone due to the charging issue. Any suggestions would really help!
4 Answers
Think about using it as a spare camera, music player, or streaming device if you have a wireless connection! Even locked, it can still be great for media, especially if you don't plan on using it as your main phone.
Yeah, carriers locking phones is pretty standard. It keeps you tied to them until you settle any balances. It sucks but it’s a common practice!
Selling it might only get you about $1.50 since it’s locked and the charging issue. However, if you find the right buyer who needs parts, it could be more tempting! Just be clear about the condition.
You could totally sell it for parts! A friend of mine used to snag locked iPhones on eBay, pop a different SIM card in, call the carrier to get it unlocked, and then fix it up to resell at a nice profit. It's worth checking if someone might want to buy it for repairs instead of just dumping it!
Is that fix really common? I thought unlocking would be super hit-or-miss!
But isn't it unusable if it's locked? I thought you wouldn't be able to access anything!