Have an old iPhone you want to get sell for a few extra bucks, but can’t because it’s spent more time in the water than Michael Phelps? You’re in luck. Apple and PowerOn have officially begun purchasing handsets that show signs of water damage, albeit at a drastically reduced price.
A fully functional 16GB iPhone 5 for Verizon Wireless in good condition, no engraving or water damage and with the included USB cable, power adapter and Find My iPhone turned off will get you $275. If the same handset has spent time underwater and isn't working anymore, will get you just $50. Pricing provided by Apple is, however, only an estimate, as PowerOn will be the final arbiter of how much your iPhone is worth.
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You can tell if your iPhone has water damage by checking the indicator tabs in the headphone jack and dock connector on iPhone 4s and earlier models. For the iPhone 5 and later models, the water damage indicator can be found in the micro SIM slot. The indicator is normally silver and white, but it turns red when it gets wet.
There is, of course, a caveat for how much water damage an iPhone can have for Apple to take it. If your handset is visibly rusted or has water behind the screen, Apple won't give you any cash. You can, however, still send it in for recycling. Find out more about Apple's recycling program at www.apple.com.
