Apple doesn’t do direct discounts during Black Friday, but the annual sale remains your best opportunity to find discounts on the iPhone. We’re unlikely to see massive savings on the recently launched iPhone 17, but there are still bargains to be had, especially if you look to older models and contract deals.
I’ve been covering Apple’s Black Friday strategy for the better part of a decade, so in the run up to this year’s sale on 28 November, I’ll be rounding up the finest iPhone deals and discounts on accessories as they land.
For even more from the tech giant, check out our guide to the best Black Friday Apple deals, where we’re rounding up discounts on everything from the iPad to the MacBook. Or to find your next phone upgrade, keep reading.
Follow live: The latest Black Friday deals and news
iPhone 17 with unlimited data: £32.67 per month, £37 up front, giffgaff.com
Giffgaff has the best early Black Friday deal we’ve seen on the newest iPhone. For £32.67 per month and a £37 upfront payment, you get the iPhone 17 with unlimited everything. “The regular iPhone 17 lacks the extra camera of the iPhone Pro, but it has an identical screen to the Pro and costs £300 less,” said tech critic David Phelan in his iPhone 17 review. Over the course of the 36-month contract, this deal means you’re paying the equivalent of just £11.50 per month for your data plan.
iPhone 17 Pro with 500GB data: £44.99 per month, £99 up front, Mobiles.co.uk
Here’s the best-value iPhone 17 Pro contract we’ve seen this Black Friday. You’ll pay £44.99 per month and £99 up front for Apple’s top-tier phone. Crunch the numbers and it’s an impressive offer: after the £1,099 cost of the handset itself, you’re left paying less than £5 per month for a whopping 500GB of data. That’s an enormous monthly allowance for 4K streaming and tethering on Apple’s finest device.
Apple iPhone 16e, 128GB: Was £549, now £479, Laptopsdirect.co.uk
The iPhone 16e has been slashed to just £479 at Laptops Direct – a £70 saving on its usual price. The successor to the iPhone SE, Apple’s budget-friendly iPhone launched earlier this year. “It’s not an upgraded iPhone SE, but an awful lot more," said tech critic David Phelan in his iPhone 16e review, noting that the device comes with more storage and a bigger display than the SE.
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday officially takes place on Friday, 28 November, with the sales event running through the weekend to Cyber Monday on 1 December. However, the deals season starts much earlier, and we expect the first offers to begin landing from the start of November.
Will the iPhone 17 get a Black Friday discount?
A simple price cut on the iPhone 17 handset probably won’t happen. Apple itself doesn’t dabble in Black Friday discounts, preferring to retain its carefully cultivated air of unattainable sophistication.
In previous years, the closest Apple has come to taking part in Black Friday is offering a promotional gift card with the purchase of a new device during the sale. This is a nice bonus if you were planning to buy other Apple products anyway, but it’s not the cash-in-your-pocket discount most of us are pining for.
What about third-party retailers like Amazon, Currys and John Lewis? In the past, we’ve occasionally seen very modest price drops of around £20-£50 on a new iPhone during a major sale. These deals are rare, often limited to specific colours or storage configurations, and tend to sell out quickly. My advice is to keep your eyes trained on our guide to the best Apple deals this Black Friday for all the latest price drops.
Where will the best iPhone deals be?
During Black Friday, network providers like O2, Vodafone and EE will be competing for your business with new contracts. While the total cost of the phone itself won’t change, a good Black Friday offer will sweeten the deal with bonuses such as a lower upfront cost, a reduced monthly payment for a limited time, extra monthly data or subscriptions to services like Apple TV+.
However, you should look at the iPhone 16 or older for the best deals. Last year’s models are now primed for their first significant price cuts. The iPhone 16 Pro is still a brilliant smartphone that’s more than powerful enough for anyone, and we could see some enticing discounts this year.
As always, the IndyBest team and I will be on hand to make sure you’re first to know about the latest discounts, as we’ll be tracking all the best Apple Black Friday offers the moment they drop.
For more bargains, head to our roundup of the best Black Friday phone deals to expect this year
