The iPhone 12 Pro was the phone that brought the flat-edged stainless-steel design back, paired a triple-camera system with a LiDAR scanner, and shipped Apple’s first 5G handset. Years on, it still runs the latest iOS, shoots Dolby Vision video, and feels premium in the hand. Buying one new is no longer an option from Apple. Buying one refurbished, though, is one of the smartest value plays in the Australian phone market right now.
The numbers that change the conversation
Top refurbished iphone 12 pros on eBay right now
Here is a live snapshot of what Australian sellers are listing today, across the 128GB, 256GB and 512GB capacities and every colour from Pacific Blue to Graphite.
Listings update automatically and open in a new tab.
Why second-hand is not “second best”
The iPhone 12 Pro was built to a standard that ages well. Its surgical-grade stainless-steel frame resists the dings that loosen up cheaper aluminium phones, and the Ceramic Shield front glass was a genuine durability leap. That matters when you buy used: a 12 Pro that has lived in a case for two years is often cosmetically close to flawless.
Under the glass, the A14 Bionic chip is still comfortably fast for everything most people do — banking apps, navigation, 4K video, the occasional demanding game. Apple continues to ship security updates and major iOS releases to this generation, so a refurbished unit is not a dead end; it is a phone with real software life left. The Super Retina XDR OLED display, the LiDAR-assisted night portraits, and the optically stabilised telephoto lens are all features that simply do not appear on entry-level new phones at the same price.
A refurbished iPhone 12 Pro is not an old phone with a discount. It is a flagship that has already taken its biggest depreciation hit, leaving you the camera system and the build quality at a fraction of the launch price.
The savings are real
When the 12 Pro launched, the Pro tier sat well above a thousand dollars in Australia. Today a tidy refurbished unit lands far below that, and the saving widens as the storage tier climbs — the 256GB and 512GB models, which carried steep new-price premiums, are where used buyers get the most value. Pair that with the fact that refurbished pricing has already absorbed the worst of the depreciation curve, and you are buying near the flat part of the resale graph. Hold the phone two or three years and you will lose far less, in dollar terms, than the original owner did.
New vs used, side by side
| Brand new | Used / refurbished | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | No longer sold new by Apple | Widely available in every colour and capacity |
| Price | Was well over $1,000 at launch | Typically 20-60% less than original retail |
| Battery | 100% health, new cell | Varies — check the health percentage before buying |
| iOS support | Identical — same updates either way | Identical — same updates either way |
| Environmental cost | Full manufacturing footprint | Reuses a device already made — far lower |
| Warranty | Apple warranty | Seller warranty plus Australian Consumer Law |
The five-minute checklist before you pay
- Battery health. Ask the seller for the figure under Settings > Battery > Battery Health. On a 12 Pro, anything in the high 80s or above is healthy; much lower and you should expect to replace the cell soon.
- Face ID works. The 12 Pro has no fingerprint reader, so a faulty TrueDepth camera means no secure unlock at all. Confirm Face ID enrols and unlocks.
- The cameras and LiDAR. Test all three rear lenses, the ultra-wide and telephoto especially, and try a Night mode portrait — LiDAR sensor faults show up as failed low-light focus.
- Find My is off and iCloud is removed. The phone must not be linked to the previous owner’s Apple ID, or it stays activation-locked and useless.
- IMEI is clean. Check the IMEI against a blacklist lookup to be sure it is not reported lost, stolen, or blocked by a carrier.
- 5G band compatibility. Confirm it is an Australian or global model so it supports local 5G bands, not a region-locked variant.
You have more protection than you think
When you buy from a business — a refurbisher, a registered eBay store, or a dealer — the Australian Consumer Law applies regardless of any “as is” wording. Goods must be of acceptable quality, match their description, and be fit for purpose. That means a refurbished iPhone 12 Pro sold as “excellent condition, battery 90%” must actually be that, and a paid business seller cannot contract out of those guarantees. Keep your receipt and the listing screenshot; together they are your proof if the phone arrives not as described.
Ready to find yours?
Compare current refurbished iPhone 12 Pro deals from trusted Australian sellers below.
Red flags to walk away from
- “Activation locked” or “iCloud locked” in the description. This phone is a paperweight until the original owner releases it. Never buy one hoping to unlock it later.
- No battery health figure offered, and the seller dodges the question. A degraded cell is the single most common hidden cost on this model.
- Vague photos that hide the frame edges or the rear camera glass. Cracked rear glass on a 12 Pro is expensive to repair because the whole back is bonded.
- A price far below every other listing. On a desirable model, a too-good price usually signals a stolen, locked, or non-genuine device.
- Aftermarket screen with no disclosure. A non-genuine OLED can trigger a “unable to verify display” warning and lose True Tone.
Frequently asked questions
Will a refurbished iPhone 12 Pro still get iOS updates? Yes. Apple’s update eligibility is tied to the model, not to whether the unit was refurbished, so it receives the same iOS releases and security patches as any other 12 Pro.
What battery health should I accept? For day-long use without anxiety, aim for high-80s percent or better. Below that the phone still works, but you should budget for a battery replacement and factor that into the price you pay.
Is the 12 Pro worth it over the standard iPhone 12? If you value the telephoto lens, the LiDAR-assisted night portraits, the stainless-steel frame and the extra storage tiers, yes. If you only need the core experience, the standard 12 is a cheaper refurbished buy.
Does it support Australian 5G? Provided you buy an Australian or global model, yes — just confirm the variant before paying, as some imported units lack the right 5G bands.
The bottom line
The iPhone 12 Pro hit the sweet spot where a phone is no longer current enough to command flagship money, yet still modern enough to do everything well. Refurbished, it gives you a premium build, a genuinely capable triple-camera system and years of remaining software support for a price the original buyer could only dream of. Check the battery health, confirm Face ID and activation status, buy from a business so the Consumer Law has your back, and you have one of the best-value smartphones in Australia today.
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