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No, your eyes are not deceiving you. For a limited time, Amazon has the iPhone 16 Pro, unlocked and all, listing at a $255 discount. That brings the flagship iPhone down to around $745, from its retail price of $1,000.
Is there a catch? When you're buying outside of the Apple store, there almost always is. Fortunately, this one's a little easier to shoulder: the discounted model is in "renewed" condition, a refurbish standard placed by Amazon that indicates that while the phone isn't new and sealed, it has been "professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned by qualified suppliers."
According to Amazon's listing page, renewed phones have no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at arm's length, meaning you likely won't be able to tell if the device is new or refurbished. Renewed phones are also tested to have at least 80% battery capacity, though most of the devices I've tried and used typically hover between 95 to 100%.
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This offer, in particular, is for the base model of the iPhone 16 Pro. You're getting 128GB of internal storage, an unlocked carrier state, meaning the device will work with most, if not all, US carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon, and either Desert Titanium or Black Titanium. (Other colors are available at a discount, but for a lesser amount.)
Now you may be asking: Why should I buy the iPhone 16 Pro when Apple is preparing to launch the iPhone 17 series in a week's time? I generally advise consumers to wait it out, if they can. Unless you desperately need a new phone right now, it's always better to see what Apple is offering with its latest devices and how much the older models will be discounted by then.
Also: Buy the iPhone 16 or wait for iPhone 17? Here's how I help friends and family decide
However, if your current phone is damaged, cracked, or unable to function properly at the moment, this is one of the better deals on one of the best iPhones right now, and you can purchase it knowing that it's backed by Amazon's 90-day return or replacement policy.
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