A phone model is a type or design of smartphone that manufacturers typically release in a series. For instance, Apple released the iPhone 16 Pro in the iPhone 16 series in 2024.
The make and model that you have will determine how much money you will receive for your device, as newer models tend to be worth more as well as certain brands.
The way that you can find out what model you have will depend firstly on if you have an iPhone or an Android device:
Launch your Settings menu and navigate to General > About, then look at the Model Number and Model Name at the top of the menu. By default, the Model Number displayed will start with a letter M (replacement iPhones have their model numbers starting with the letter N), which provides a more detailed identification of your device e.g. its colour and storage capacity.
You can also tap on the Model Number to display the number starting with a letter A that you can look up on Apple’s Support page (ctrl+F to search the page for your model number) to confirm your iPhone model. This will help you to find the name of your iPhone since older iPhones do not store this information in the About menu.
Android devices are manufactured by different brands, but the principle remains the same. Simply look for the model number which will tell you which Android device you have.
Launch the Settings menu and look for either About Phone or the System tab (these options might vary depending on the manufacturer). More recent Android devices will have the model name displayed in the About Phone or About Device section, for instance the Google Pixel 9 and the Samsung Galaxy S25.
Older Android devices might only store the Model Number in the About Phone section. Once you have located this number, look it up online and you will be able to identify which Android you have.
Another way of finding out your Android device’s model is to look at the back of the device. Depending on the manufacturer, the Model Name or IMEI number, in the form of a small QR code, might be printed on the back of the phone as a part of the design. However, the model name being present is becoming less common in pursuit of cleaner design and in turn the QR code is becoming more popular - as seen on the Samsung Galaxy S25 devices.
If the model name is nowhere to be found on the back of the device itself, look for an entry combined of numbers and letters. For instance, Samsung will have SM-XXXXX / QR code printed on the back of the device. Next, head to Google and search the discovered number.
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