Mengalihkan... 7 detik.

From Iphone Xr to Iphone 17 Pro Max? - - the Hidden Risks of Cosmetically Upgraded Iphones in Nigeria

Nigeria's smartphone scene is buzzing again -- this time over claims of "upgraded iPhones" sold as the latest models. The conv...

From Iphone Xr to Iphone 17 Pro Max? - - the Hidden Risks of Cosmetically Upgraded Iphones in Nigeria

Nigeria's smartphone scene is buzzing again -- this time over claims of "upgraded iPhones" sold as the latest models. The conversation recently exploded after socialite and tech entrepreneur Blord was accused by activist VeryDarkMan (VDM) of selling cosmetically upgraded iPhone XR models as iPhone 17 Pros.

While the videos and back-and-forth have gone viral, the controversy has also shed light on the hidden dangers behind these "refurbished-to-new" iPhones flooding the market. Here's what every buyer should know.

1. Case Incompatibility: Looks Can Be Deceiving

One major giveaway is the casing. A phone upgraded from an iPhone XR to an iPhone 17 Pro may look identical to Apple's latest release -- sleek frame, new camera bump, and shiny finish -- but the dimensions don't match.

Cases and screen protectors made for genuine iPhone 17s won't fit properly. Even if you force them, they won't protect the device's most vulnerable points -- like the camera bump or screen edges.

2. Compromised Security

Many of these repackaged iPhones originate from unverified workshops in China. According to VeryDarkMan, who visited one such factory, old iPhones are stripped down, cosmetically upgraded, and sold as newer models.

Phones from such sources pose serious security risks -- including possible malware, tampered chips, or spyware capable of stealing personal information, Apple ID details, or login credentials.

3. No Software Updates

No matter how new the casing looks, the phone inside remains an older model -- often an iPhone XR. This means it cannot run the latest iOS, leaving users stuck on outdated versions.

That translates to missing out on new features, improved performance, and essential security patches, leaving the device increasingly vulnerable over time.

4. Low-Quality Replacement Parts

VeryDarkMan's factory footage also revealed how these "upgraded" phones are assembled -- with cheap third-party parts.

For example, batteries are often "boosted" to show 100% health using inexpensive tools costing as little as ₦2,000, without actually improving battery quality.

Such parts tend to overheat, drain quickly, or fail within months, and may even damage the logic board or disable Face ID and wireless charging.

5. No Official Apple Support

Once a phone is modified outside Apple's ecosystem, it's no longer eligible for official support or warranty. Apple's diagnostic systems will not recognise it, meaning no free repairs, replacements, or technical assistance.

If anything goes wrong, owners are left with roadside technicians -- often making the problem worse.

6. Pricing Controversy and Consumer Deception

Blord claimed he sells these "upgraded iPhone 17 Pros" for around ₦400,000-₦450,000, saying they're rebuilt in China with high-quality craftsmanship.

However, VDM alleged similar refurbished phones could be bought directly from China for ₦280,000, accusing Blord of overpricing and misleading buyers.

While Blord defended his pricing as a reflection of quality assurance and logistics costs, the debate highlights a bigger issue -- Nigerians paying premium prices for devices that aren't truly new.

7. Misrepresentation Risks

If what's being sold is indeed an iPhone XR in an iPhone 17 shell, buyers are not just overpaying -- they're being misled by cosmetic upgrades.

This ties directly to consumer protection concerns: fake model numbers, tampered serial codes, and missing Apple certifications.

The Blord-VeryDarkMan saga has exposed an uncomfortable truth about Nigeria's phone market: many "new" devices are just old models in new skins.

These cosmetically upgraded iPhones might look like the real deal but come with hidden costs, security risks, and zero warranty.

Before paying for any "new" iPhone, always:

Check the model number in Settings → General → About (e.g., iPhone XR shows as "A2105", not "A3090" like newer models).

Verify authenticity through Apple's official website using the serial number.

Buy only from authorised Apple resellers or trusted dealers.

Because when it comes to iPhones, beauty without authenticity can be very expensive.

Copyright 2025 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (okay1).

Tagged: Nigeria, Commodities, West Africa, Economy, Business and Finance

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

COMMENTS

Name

accessibility,2,activists,4,actors and actresses,5,adventures,1,advertising,1,aerospace and aeronautical engineering,1,aerospace industry,1,africa,75,africans,1,aging,3,agriculture,17,ai chatbots,3,air travel,8,airline industry,9,aliens,1,alternative energy,3,alzheimer's disease,1,ambassador,2,ancient egypt,1,ancient history,2,angelina jolie,1,animal behavior,1,animals,9,antitrust activities,1,antitrust law,2,apple,3,apple products and services,2,archaeologists,1,archaeology,2,architectural design,1,architecture,1,armed forces,24,armenia,1,arrests,4,arsenal fc,1,art,4,artificial intelligence,49,artwork,4,asia,10,astrologers,1,astrology,1,astronomy,2,astrophysics,1,asylum seekers,3,athletes,7,auctions,1,audio,1,audits,1,austria,1,automation,15,automotive industry,12,autos,14,aviation,12,aviation accidents,7,babies,4,bags,1,banking,6,batteries,2,battery charging,2,battery electric vehicles,10,bears,1,beauty,2,beauty pageants,1,biodiversity,1,biographical films,1,biology,3,biometrics,1,biotech & biomedical,3,biotechnology,1,blockchain,1,boats and ships,3,bollywood,1,books,7,border crossings,1,border security,1,borders,1,box office grosses,1,brain cancer,1,brain health,1,breaking news,3,breast cancer,1,breast cancer awareness,1,british monarchy,2,british royal family,3,broadband,1,broadcast media,8,broadcasting,6,budgets,4,buildings,3,business,351,business & finance,1,business funding,1,cadillac,1,cambodia,1,cancer,4,cancer patients,1,capital gains,1,capital punishment,1,car companies,9,car design,3,car models,1,carbon emissions,1,cardi b,1,cars,22,catholic churches,1,catholic schools,1,catholicism,1,celebrations,1,celebrities,56,celebrity and music,11,celebrity gossip,40,central banks,3,challenges,3,character and personality,1,charities,3,charity,3,chatgpt,1,children,24,children and families,21,chili,1,christian ministry,1,chronic conditions and diseases,1,churches,3,cities and towns,3,civil aviation,4,climate,3,climate change,8,climatology,1,clinical trials,1,cloud computing,2,cloud services,2,coca cola,1,cold weather,2,colleges and universities,12,commerce,70,community,36,compassion,2,complaints,1,computer engineering,1,computer security,1,computers,4,concerts,5,congestion,1,conservation,2,construction,5,consumer electronics,5,contests and competitions,4,controversies,127,cooking,3,corruption,11,cosmology,1,cost of living,3,councils,2,counterfeiting,1,couples,4,courts,46,covid 19,5,crabs,1,cricket,4,cricket players,4,crime,183,crimes,50,criminal cases,46,criminal justice,30,criminal law,3,criminal prosecution,6,crops,4,crude oil,1,cryptocurrency,3,cryptocurrency exchanges,1,culinary arts,1,culture,48,customs,1,cybercrime,6,cybersecurity,3,data breaches,1,data centers,3,data science and analytics,1,dating and relationships,1,dating apps,1,debt,3,deep learning,1,dementia,1,democracy,2,demolition,1,detention,1,diabetes,1,diet and nutrition,3,dining,1,dining out,1,diplomacy and diplomats,11,disability,3,disaster management,10,disaster preparedness,1,disasters,56,disney+,1,distilled beverages,1,diversity,1,divorce,3,dog breeds,1,dog lovers,1,dog owners,1,dogs,3,domestic violence and abuse,1,donald trump,8,donald trump trial,1,drama,1,drivers,1,driving,7,droughts,2,drugs,4,e commerce,1,earnings,1,earth science,1,earthquakes,5,ecology,2,economic inequality,5,economic policy,16,economics,65,economy of china,5,education,86,education reform,1,educational systems,26,educators,3,egypt,1,egypt history,1,egyptology,1,election commission of india,5,elections,12,electric batteries,2,electric bikes,1,electric cars,10,electric power,16,electronics,2,emergencies,25,emergency management,12,emergency services,2,employees,2,employment,7,employment law,1,empowerment,1,energy sector,17,energy sustainability,2,engineering,9,engineers,1,entertainment,50,entertainment industry,8,entrepreneurship,5,environment,1,environmental disasters,9,environmental friendliness,1,environmental health,3,environmental pollution,2,environmental science,2,environmentalism,18,equities,1,europe,11,european football,3,european parliament,1,european union,3,event tickets,1,events and festivals,16,everyday life tips and hacks,1,eviction law,1,evictions,2,exercise,1,exhibitions,6,exports,1,extortion,1,extraterrestrial,1,factory reset,1,faith,1,faith and religion,2,family relationships and dynamics,2,farmers,2,farming,9,farming sector,2,fashion & style,6,fashion and style,5,fashion brands,1,fashion design,1,fashion industry,1,fashion trends,2,father child relationship,1,fbi,1,federal government,1,federal reserve,1,female empowerment,8,fertility,2,festivals,3,fighting,3,film festivals,3,finance news,12,financial analysis,1,financial crime,2,financial literacy,1,financial markets,16,financial services,14,fintech,6,fire,3,fiscal policy,4,fish,3,fisheries,3,fishing,2,fitness,2,flights,7,flooding,12,flying,12,food and beverage industry,2,food and drink,15,food banks,1,food culture,5,food safety,3,food service industry,2,foodies,2,football clubs,17,football players,4,ford motor company,1,forecasting,2,foreign policy,22,foreign relations of iran,2,foreign relations of pakistan,1,formula 1,13,fossil fuels,1,fraud prevention,2,french,10,funding,3,funeral services,1,funerals,4,future of cryptocurrencies,1,gadgets,3,gambling,1,gaming,1,gas stoves,1,gaza israel conflict,9,gender,3,genetic disorders and diseases,1,genetic testing,1,genetics and heredity,1,geology,1,german,7,ghana,5,global economy,2,global warming,4,gold,1,golf,3,golf courses,1,golf players,1,golfers,1,google,1,google chrome,1,google products and services,3,government,504,government of california,1,government of pakistan,3,government of russia,1,government regulations,22,governors,8,graduations,1,grief,9,guinness world records,1,hamilton,1,handbags and purses,1,hate crimes,1,health,61,health & fitness,3,health advice,1,health and exercise,5,health and healthcare economics,5,health benefits,1,health risks,1,health tips,1,healthcare and medicine,81,healthcare industry,2,healthy eating,1,healthy living,2,healthy workouts,1,heat,1,heating,1,heritage,7,heroism,1,higher education,22,highways,1,history,5,holocaust survivors,1,home and property,12,hong kong,4,horology,1,horoscopes,1,horror,1,hospitals,5,hotels,1,human rights,45,human trafficking,3,humanitarian aid,11,humanitarianism,13,hurricanes,3,hydrogen,1,hyundai,1,identity verification,1,illness,19,immigrants,1,immigration,9,immigration policy,4,in vitro fertilization,1,incident,72,india elections,1,indian national news,17,indigenous,1,infectious diseases,17,inflation,7,influencers,2,information security,6,infrared light,1,infrastructure,20,innovation,39,insects,2,insurance,1,interest rates,1,international cricket,2,international economics,3,international news,3,international relations,48,international space station,1,international trade,5,internet culture,1,internet data centers,2,internet infrastructure,1,internet security,3,investing,34,investing business news,30,investing company news,34,investing economy,5,investing market news,11,investing technology,5,investing news,13,investors,18,ios,1,iphone,3,iran,2,iran and the middle east,1,iran nuclear deal,2,islam,3,israel and the gaza strip,9,israel and the middle east,6,italy,1,japan national news,3,jeep,1,jeffrey epstein,3,jewelry industry,1,job,1,jobs and careers,5,johnson & johnson,1,journalism,62,journalists,7,judges,1,judiciaries,26,kanye west,1,kardashians,2,kenya,2,kidnapping,4,kim jong un,1,korea national news,3,korean,15,labor unions,3,laws and regulations,34,layoffs,1,leadership,11,licenses,1,licensing,2,life expectancy,1,life insurance,1,life sciences,1,lifestyle,6,literacy,5,lithium,1,live music,2,liverpool f.c.,1,living,3,loans,2,local and municipal government,5,local businesses,1,local news,100,love,2,luxury cars,1,luxury goods and services,1,luxury watches,3,machine learning,19,machinery,1,macroeconomics policy,3,mail,1,manchester city f.c.,1,manchester united,1,manufacturing,18,marriage,8,massacres,1,maternity,2,mathematics,1,meals,1,measles,1,medical and healthcare costs,3,medical conditions and diseases,7,medicine and healthcare,59,meghan markle,2,memes,1,mental health,4,mental illness,1,mentors and mentoring,1,metal,1,metal detecting,1,metals,3,meteorology,10,microorganisms,1,migrants,5,military,72,military aircraft,1,military history and wars,2,military technology,3,mineralogy,1,mining,7,mining industry,2,misinformation,2,missing people,1,missing persons,2,mixed martial arts (mma),2,mma,2,mobile phones,5,mobile technology,13,modern warfare,2,money,34,morocco,4,motor bikes,11,motor fuel,1,motorcycle racing,3,motorcycle riding,9,motorsports,31,mountains,2,movies,12,multilingualism,2,murder,1,murder cases,3,music,23,music and lyrics,8,music industry,6,music recording,1,musicians,6,mysteries and investigations,1,nasa,1,national health service,1,national security,13,nato,2,natural disasters,15,natural gas,2,nature,1,nature conservation,2,naval forces,2,nba,1,network security,1,news,1684,news media,161,nfl,1,nigeria,34,north korea,2,nuclear energy,4,nuclear power plants,4,nuclear program of iran,1,nuclear reactors,4,nutrition,1,obituaries,11,off roading,1,oil,9,oil and fuel prices,2,oil and gas industry,6,oil refineries,1,olympic sports,2,oncology,1,online scams,1,outages,2,packing tips,1,pageants,2,pakistan,4,palestine,4,palestinians,3,parasitology,1,parenting,2,parking lots,1,parkinson's disease,1,partnership,1,passports and international travel,3,payment processing,2,payroll,1,performing arts,4,pests and diseases,1,petroleum,4,pets,1,pfizer,1,philanthropy,2,pilots,1,planetary science,1,planning,7,poland,1,police and law enforcement,33,police reports,39,political asylum,1,political corruption,3,political debates,11,political parties,8,political polling,1,political science,4,politics,789,politics and government,513,politics and law,382,politics of japan,5,politics of saudi arabia,1,politics of south korea,6,pop culture,2,pop music,1,popular culture,17,porsche,1,postal and shipping services,1,postal service,1,poverty,2,power outages,1,pregnancy,2,premier league,1,prince harry duke of sussex,1,product recalls,1,product reviews,2,pronunciation,1,prostate cancer,1,protests,8,psychology,1,psychology of everyday life,1,public education,10,public health,28,public health and safety,8,public policy,51,public transportation,2,rabies,1,racing,27,racing drivers,7,racism,1,radiation,1,railroads,2,railway systems,3,rain,4,rainfall,7,rats,1,real estate,11,real estate market,6,reality television,1,recreation and leisure activities,1,recycling,1,red bull,2,red bull racing,3,refrigeration,1,refugees,8,regulation,6,relationships,10,religion,14,renewable energy,5,rent,1,rental property,1,resignations,1,respiratory illnesses and diseases,1,restaurants,2,retail,3,rice,1,roads,1,robotics,4,rodents,1,roman catholic church,4,romania,3,rules and regulations,5,rumors,1,russia ukraine conflict,11,russian,3,russian politics,5,safety,19,samsung,1,samsung products,1,satellites,1,saudi arabia,1,scandals,17,scholarships and fellowships,1,school children,4,school principals,1,school teachers,2,schools,26,science,19,science education,2,scientific research,7,scotland,6,seafood,1,search and rescue,3,securities,1,security,21,security breach,1,seismology,2,self driving technology,2,senior citizens,6,sentencing,2,severe weather,6,shopping,1,shortages,3,singapore,4,skills,3,sleep advice,1,smart devices,1,smartphones,3,smuggling,1,soccer,22,soccer player transfers,2,social issues,21,social justice,1,social media,6,social security,1,society,15,sodas,1,software & apps,1,software and applications,5,solar energy,1,solar panels,1,soldiers,3,south africa,2,space exploration,2,space stations,1,space travel,2,special education,1,speeding,1,spirituality,3,sports,81,sports betting,1,sports injuries,1,startups,1,startups and entrepreneurship,1,state of palestine,4,stem education,1,stocks,11,storms,3,streaming,1,style,4,subaru,1,surgery,1,sustainability,7,suvs,1,sweeteners,1,syria,2,taiwan,2,taliban,1,tattoos,2,taxes,3,taylor swift,1,teachers,3,teaching,12,tech companies,3,technology,284,technology companies,12,technology industry,36,technology trends,38,telecommunications,5,television,2,temperature,3,tenants,2,tennis,1,tesla,1,tesla autopilot,2,the big bang theory,1,the holocaust,1,theft,1,tipping,1,tourist attractions,3,tourists,2,tournaments,7,track and field,3,traditions,1,traffic congestion,1,tragedies,46,train travel,1,trains,1,transportation,12,trauma,5,travel,11,travel destinations,3,treasure hunt,1,treasures,1,tropical storms,2,trump administration,3,tuna,1,tv,4,u.s. china relations,2,uber,1,ufc,1,ufo sightings,1,uganda,8,uk economy,3,uk national news,7,uk politics,4,uk railways,1,ukraine,18,
ltr
item
Union Hotel: From Iphone Xr to Iphone 17 Pro Max? - - the Hidden Risks of Cosmetically Upgraded Iphones in Nigeria
From Iphone Xr to Iphone 17 Pro Max? - - the Hidden Risks of Cosmetically Upgraded Iphones in Nigeria
https://www.letemsvetemapplem.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/iPhone-17-makety.jpg
Union Hotel
https://www.unionhotel.us/2025/10/from-iphone-xr-to-iphone-17-pro-max.html
https://www.unionhotel.us/
https://www.unionhotel.us/
https://www.unionhotel.us/2025/10/from-iphone-xr-to-iphone-17-pro-max.html
true
676919279331320286
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Readmore Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share. STEP 2: Click the link you shared to unlock Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy