Here Are This Year’s Apple Black Friday Deals
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It’s just over a week until Black Friday, and Apple has announced its annual holiday shopping event details right on schedule. There aren’t too many surprises here, and you can likely find better deals elsewhere, but there are still some bonuses if you plan on picking up a new Apple device anyway.
In what’s become a norm over the past several years, Apple’s shopping events are all about gift cards rather than upfront savings. This is how its Back to School promotions run, and Black Friday is no exception.
Apple will throw in a gift card when you purchase specific Apple products. While that gift card value can’t be put toward the purchase price of the product you’re buying, it’s a great way to accessorize your iPad or Mac. Further, now that Apple Gift Cards also work for digital purchases, you can put those amounts toward apps, media, in-app purchases, or subscriptions, potentially giving you several free months of Apple Music or Apple One. Here’s what to expect from this year’s Apple Shopping Event.
The Dates
As usual, Apple’s Black Friday Shopping event is limited to the weekend of Black Friday. There are no early access sales, and while it runs through Cyber Monday on December 2, it’s all over after that.
This differs from other major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, which offer deals through November and sometimes even start in October. While you’ll still sometimes find even better deals on the day of Black Friday, you have a much broader window in which to shop.
However, while Apple’s deals may not start until November 29, the heads-up at least lets you load up your cart and plan a virtual shopping trip so you’re ready to go on Friday morning.
The Deals
Apple is offering an Apple Gift Card of up to $200 when you buy an eligible product, although the key words here are “up to” and “eligible.”
As in prior years, almost none of Apple’s latest releases are on that “eligible” list. That means no iPhone 16 models, no M4 Macs, and not even the iPad mini 7 or Apple Watch Series 10. The one exception? Apple’s AirPods 4 do qualify, which is great as they’re one of the most popular stocking stuffers out there. However, some other older products, like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, aren’t on the list, and there’s no sign of the Vision Pro here, either.
The other catch is that Apple is vague about the gift card values in each category. For example, it says that buying a Mac will net you a gift card “up to $200,” while an iPhone will get you “up to $75,” but that suggests those values may be lower depending on which model you buy. After all, it’s hard to imagine that a two-year-old M2 MacBook Air will offer the same gift card value as a fully loaded 15-inch M3 MacBook Air.
Fortunately, while Apple doesn’t spell it out on its main Black Friday event page, it does in the terms and conditions. Here’s the rundown of what Apple is offering:
$200 Apple Gift Card
- MacBook Air 15-inch (M3)
$175 Apple Gift Card
- MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
$150 Apple Gift Card
- MacBook Air 13-inch (M2)
$100 Apple Gift Card
- 13-inch iPad Pro (M4)
- 11-inch iPad Pro (M4)
$75 Apple Gift Card
- 13-inch iPad Air (M2)
- 11-inch iPad Air (M2)
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- AirPods Max
$50 Apple Gift Card
- iPad (10th generation)
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- Apple Watch SE
- AirPods Pro 2
- HomePod
- Beats Studio Pro
- Beats Solo 4 Wireless
- Beats Fit Pro
- Beats Studio Buds+
$25 Apple Gift Card
- iPhone SE
- AirPods 4
- Apple TV 4K
- Beats Solo buds
- Beats Pill
- Beats Flex
- Magic Keyboard
- Apple Pencil Pro
- Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
- Magic Keyboard Folio
- Smart Folio for iPad Pro
- Smart Folio for iPad Air
- Smart Folio for iPad (10th generation)
As you can see from the list above, the AirPods 4 are the most current products on the list, followed by the M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air. However, of these, only the iPad Pro will net you the maximum gift card value.
Still, for most of these items, you’ll almost certainly find better deals elsewhere. Best Buy already has the M4 iPad Pro on sale, offering $100 off the 11-inch model and $200 off the 13-inch one. Ditto for the M3 MacBook Air, which is going for up to $250 off its regular price in various configurations. Amazon is also selling the AirPods Pro 2 for $160 — $89 off the regular price. These deals not only exceed the value of Apple’s Gift Cards, but they also translate to money in your pocket.
It’s also worth remembering that you don’t need to buy a product from Apple for it to qualify for AppleCare+. You can purchase it after the fact or even include it with your purchase from Apple Authorized Retailers like Best Buy.
The most significant advantage to Apple’s Black Friday Deals is that there’s no risk of them selling out. You’re guaranteed to get the item you’re looking for and the corresponding gift card as long as you place your order during the Black Friday weekend, even if you have to wait a few more days or weeks for it to arrive.
