Selling old iPhones on eBay -- update the OS first?

[peter17319]

I have a couple old iPhones that were laying around, and I'm preparing to sell them on eBay. It's a mixture of a few different models, and at different OS levels (but none of the OS's are 100% current).

I was wondering -- is it best to leave the OS and modem firmware exactly where it is, just in case it's at a level that is attractive to the jailbreaking crowd? Or is it more attractive if the phone is totally updated and ready to go?


While I'm at it, may I ask a couple more questions?
1. I'm going to get them all factory unlocked by AT&T, but I have no T-Mobile SIM cards to really test the unlocking. Is there a way to confirm it through iTunes?

2. I know that Verizon phones are more attractive with a "clean ESN". Is there an equivalent to that on AT&T?

[Airforcekid]

I would sell them as is with their firmware but offer to upgrade them to the latest if that is what they want. As for the unlock I would just trust AT&T or buy a cheap prepaid tmobile sim and test it. As for the Verizon iPhones I've never had one but I know they can ban them from their network making them less desirable to buyers.

[blacksurfer]

Iphones are worth more if they're jailbroken and unlocked.

[Lazybones]

I would state the current base-band and firmware number in the listing as well as the highest supported version... State you can update it before shipping if desired.. Leave you open to both jailbreakers and those that just want a cheap phone that is up to date.

[Telekom]

I would state the current base-band and firmware number in the listing as well as the highest supported version... State you can update it before shipping if desired.. Leave you open to both jailbreakers and those that just want a cheap phone that is up to date.

It's a good idea to mention the baseband since some basebands are not able to be unlocked (at least for the present)

[marks47]

Ideally yeah, JB/unlock them. You can upgrade them if you want to spend half a day doing it with pwnage tool to preserve the baseband that can work with unlock.
Good luck getting at&t to unlock them. They'll do one MAYBE two, I think... If I remember right, you have to be out of contract and account still in good standing.

[peter17319]

Good luck getting at&t to unlock them. They'll do one MAYBE two, I think... If I remember right, you have to be out of contract and account still in good standing.

When the announcement came out a few weeks ago about AT&T doing factory unlocks for iPhones, the official word was that you can do up to 5 in a calendar year (with account in good standing, of course).

Is that not really true?

[partyfavor]

correct me if I'm wrong... but if you factory unlock them the baseband doesn't matter (since they are already unlocked) and the user will probably want the latest iOS anyways (jailbreaking can be done right up to the latest anyways, if they want the jb features, right?)

[Lazybones]

correct me if I'm wrong... but if you factory unlock them the baseband doesn't matter (since they are already unlocked) and the user will probably want the latest iOS anyways (jailbreaking can be done right up to the latest anyways, if they want the jb features, right?)

I haven't followed it too closely but I think on 5.1.1 only a tethered jailbreak works, which sucks, so some users MAY want an older release still even on an unlocked phone.

[bpaulson]

5.1.1 is still a tether jailbreak (although that should chance soon.)

If you've got an iPhone 3GS / iPhone 4 with anything 4.x.x on it, leave it (or at least leave it the way it is with the offer to update it if the buy wants it updated.) I've seen iPhone 4 models go for ridiculous prices with 4.3.3 and the older basebands... (not sure if the new gevey sim card hack works with newer 5.x basebands...)