For a Black Friday iPhone deal, here are the older iPhones, used iPhones, and carrier deals I’d recommend
Here’s the hard truth: it’s not the best time to buy an iPhone. Apple is having supply issues. Orders are delayed. That doesn’t mean you can’t save money on a Black Friday iPhone deal, it just means that deal is going to be harder to find, or it might come with strings attached.
By the law of supply and demand, when demand is so much larger than the supply, the suppliers don’t need to offer Black Friday deals.
You won’t find a price drop yet on a new iPhone 14, an iPhone 14 Pro, or any of the best iPhones. I’m not even seeing bundles with new Airpods Pro 2, or a few AirTags thrown in. That’s no problem! I have a few creative options, and one not so creative, for finding an iPhone deal. Here’s where I’d look.
First of all, Apple is still selling older iPhone models dating back to the iPhone 12, so it’s easy to find last year’s phone in brand-new condition. Apple supports iPhones longer than any other manufacturer, so you can feel comfortable buying an older device, knowing it will get the latest OS and software support for years.
Second, if you can’t save money on a new model, you can always buy one used. I strongly recommend devices renewed by the manufacturer, and I’ll show you where to look and which devices are the strongest deals this Black Friday.
Finally, if you have a recent phone to trade, even if it’s broken, you can find great deals that give you a little extra for your trade-in. I’ve got an iPhone 11 and an iPhone 11 Pro Max that my kiddo and I have retired, and I’ll find the best deal if we decide to upgrade.
If I’m buying a slightly older iPhone, I’d go for the iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max. Anecdotally, I’ve heard folks who upgraded from the iPhone 13 Pro lament the loss of battery life when comparing their new iPhone 14 to the older phone. There may be truth to this.
Our friend Arun Maini at @MrWhoseTheBoss on YouTube did a full battery test on every iPhone Apple currently sells.
