Is my warranty replacement iPhone 4 a refurbished phone?

So you recently had to take your iPhone in for an appointment with the geniuses at your local Apple store and you ended up leaving with a replacement phone. Now, you're left wondering whether you got a new iPhone 4 as a replacement, or a refurbished phone.

Truth be told, there will be little way to tell. Per your iPhone warranty, Apple has the right to replace your defective iPhone with a new or refurbished unit. Replacements come in an unmarked box, whether new stock or refurbished stock, and serial numbers/etc are assigned as new.

If your replacement was in the first 6 months of the iPhone 4 launch, chances are you've received a new phone, as it usually takes time for refurbs to cycle back into the system.

Either way, we recommend you don't waste your time worrying about it. Your replacement phone, like your original new phone, is covered under your AppleCare warranty. If anything goes wrong, you're set. Also, there's something to be said for a phone which has been through QC more than once.