What's an "AS IS" iPhone?

The devices are sold exactly as they are, no warranty, no support, no service. They are for all practical purposes scrap for recycling, or maybe parts salvage for third party repairs.

As for why they are like this, your guess is as good as mine. They may be working or not, they may be blacklisted or not, they might be recovered stolen or not. Many will probably be locked by a previous owner’s Activation Lock and the main board will be useless. Oh and the 1978 purchase date is roughly 30 years before the first iPhone.

AntonioMS wrote:

what do you mean with "Private Party Sale"?

Anytime you buy from a private party - another person as opposed to a retailer. When you sell or trade things privately - e.g. classified ads, Craig’s list, other web sites - you sell your items “as is” with no warranty offered or implied.

If I buy a used iPhone from my neighbor, once I’ve paid for it I own it. He has no legal obligation to reimburse me if I fail to check it’s condition or find something isn’t what I expected. The principle is known as caveat emptor, or buyer beware. The seller has no obligation to provide you any information if they choose not to, and if you choose to still buy it, you then own it, literally in the state it is in, whatever that turns out to be.

If a seller outright blantanlty lies to you about an item, you could sue them in civil courts, but those are tough battles to win.

Note that non-Apple Authorized sellers, even if a business, are selling items that are used or salvaged. A pawn shop, for example can put items out, like used iPhones, and mark them ”as is” in which case again, you take it in whatever state it is in (working, not working, carrier locked, unlocked, even activation locked or unlocked). Even big box retailers may sometimes put out returned items, open box items and if they clearly indicate they are being sold “as is”, then you have no warranty nor guarantee of any kind.

Uhh, nobody purchased an iPhone in April 1978, 29 years before the iPhone was actually released.

Apple does not sell anything “as is” - every item Apple sells has Apple’s standard one year warranty (even their refurbished items).

That term “as is” typically indicates you’re buying a used device in a private party sale. All personal property sold privately is sold “as is” - I.e. no warranty is included nor implied in private party sales or trades. In such cases, if you buy it you own, regardless of the condition.

And, btw, a used device still within its warranty period and not damaged or altered is eligible for warranty service. The Apple warranty goes with the device for as long as the warranty is valid.

Who is advertising/selling this device described "As Is"?

I've never seen such a reference and never seen Apple sell anything other than refurbished phones. Can you be more specific and provide a link where you want to buy this phone.