After receiving your Back Market device, your iPhone may display unfamiliar messages such as "Important Battery Message", "Unknown Part", "Used Battery", or an unexpected date like 1978. These displays are linked to Apple's parts-pairing policy and system defaults, not a sign of a problem.
- There's no defect or safety issue
- Your iPhone's performance and features aren't affected
- Your device is covered by the seller's 1-year warranty and applicable legal guarantees, regardless of what Apple's system shows
What do these messages mean?
These messages and displays indicate that a component (battery, screen, or camera) was replaced by someone other than Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or that Apple's manufacturer warranty is no longer active. They don't indicate a defect. All replaced components are fully functional and tested for quality by Back Market sellers.
Common Apple system displays explained
"Unknown Part", "Used Battery" or "Important Message"
These messages appear in "Settings" or briefly on the lock screen when a repair wasn't performed by Apple. The specific message depends on your iPhone model and iOS version.
- Lock screen: 4 days
- Settings: 15 days
- Performance: no impact
- Features: no impact
- Limitation: battery health metrics may not be visible in "Settings" (depending on message type)
"1978" displayed as a date in Settings
If your Apple device shows "1978" as a date (typically visible in "Settings" > "General" > "About"), this is completely normal and expected for many refurbished Apple devices.
1978 is Apple's default date for ASIS (As-Is) devices. It simply indicates that Apple's manufacturer warranty has ended. It doesn't reflect the actual manufacturing date or the real age of your device. Your device is fully functional and still covered by the seller's 1-year warranty and applicable legal guarantees.
About batteries and battery messages
"Used Battery" message (iOS 18 and later)
Starting with iOS 18, you may see a "Used Battery" message even when your battery is new and fully functional. This is part of Apple's parts-pairing policy and doesn't indicate a problem.
During refurbishment, the battery cell is replaced while keeping the original Apple battery management board. This approach is used to avoid triggering the more disruptive "unverified battery" warning and pop-up messages. Because the original board retains its serial number, Apple identifies the battery as "used" rather than "unverified". This is a better outcome for you.
- Every battery is tested for capacity, performance, and safety before shipment
- Batteries meet Back Market's quality standards
- Your device is covered by warranty for any defects
Battery cycle counts
When checking your battery using third-party apps or diagnostic tools, you might see the original battery's historical cycle count. This is normal when batteries have been replaced.
Because the original battery management board is retained, the cycle count may reflect its previous history rather than your replacement cell's actual usage. This doesn't affect your battery's actual capacity, performance, or lifespan. The number you see is a reporting artifact, not a reflection of how your battery will perform day to day.
- The cycle count reflects the old battery's usage history
- It doesn't reflect the condition of your new replacement battery
- This is a limitation of how iOS stores battery data when non-Apple repairs are performed
- Battery health percentage (if you purchased a device with a new battery, battery health should show 100%)
- Actual device performance and battery life
What messages may appear?
The specific messages depend on your iOS version. Only recent iPhone models (iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, and later) display these messages.
iOS 15.2 and later
What you'll see by model:
- iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, and later (including iPhone SE 2nd gen): battery replacement history
- iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13 series: battery and display replacement history
- iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 series: battery, display, and camera replacement history
Replacements not performed by Apple will display as "Unknown Part" or "Used Battery" (iOS 18 and later). These components are functionally equivalent to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts and perform identically.
Sellers on Back Market test every device through rigorous quality suites to verify "like-new" condition. Our in-house teams validate these processes to ensure you receive the highest-quality devices.
Your protection: Even if something goes wrong, your device is always covered by warranty for any defects.
iOS versions earlier than iOS 15.2
- Battery: "Settings" > "Battery" > "Battery Health"
- Camera and display: "Settings" > "General" > "About"
- "Important Battery Message"
- "Important Display Message"
- "Important Camera Message"
When should you contact Customer Care?
The messages described above are expected and don't require any action. However, some situations indicate a genuine battery issue that may be covered under warranty.
Normal messages — no action needed
These are reporting behaviors linked to Apple's parts-pairing policy. They don't indicate a defect:
- "Used Battery", "Unknown Part", or "Important Battery Message" displayed in "Settings" or on the lock screen
- "High-cycle count" showing in third-party diagnostic apps (this reflects the old battery's history, not your new one)
Contact Customer Care if you notice
These symptoms may indicate an actual battery defect:
- Battery is draining significantly faster than expected (e.g., full discharge within a few hours of normal use)
- Device shutting down unexpectedly at 20% battery or above
- Battery swelling, or the device feeling unusually warm during normal use
- Battery health percentage is dropping rapidly in a short period
- Device not charging, or charging extremely slowly