Yahoo News Apple Black Friday deals 2021: Best early offers on Apple Watch, iPhones, MacBooks, Beats and more
Contenders, ready! Deal hunters, ready! It’s November and the countdown to Black Friday, the world’s biggest shopping bonanza, has officially begun. In less than two weeks, you’re going to be able to secure reductions on all your favourite bits of tech, beauty, home appliances and more.
Despite starting out as a one-day event, held the Friday after Thanksgiving in the US, Black Friday has blossomed into a weekend-long discounting party and, more recently, a one- or even two-week-long shopping spree. With Very, Amazon, Currys and AO already releasing some early Black Friday deals, soon enough we’ll probably be calling it Black November.
Tech juggernaut Apple is known for its blasé attitude to big-ticket sale events, with discounts on the latest iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches nearly impossible to find. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a deal to be had, because a number of Apple’s products were discounted last year via third-party retailers.
In 2020, we saw reductions on the Apple AirPods pro (currently £174.83, Amazon.co.uk), the iPad pro (currently £999, Currys.co.uk), the latest MacBook pro (currently £1,358, Currys.co.uk), Apple Watches and even the latest iPhone 12 pro max (currently £949, Very.co.uk). And, with a new iPhone 13, Apple Watch series 7, MacBook pro and AirPods out now, we could see even more discounts on Apple’s latest bits of tech.
We’ll be scouring all the biggest retailers throughout the entirety of Black Friday, including John Lewis & Partners, Amazon, Argos and more, as we search for all the best Apple deals available. For now, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the shopping bonanza, the best early Apple deals available to buy now and the deals we’re expecting to see on Apple products on the big day itself.
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The best early Apple Black Friday 2021 deals
This Black Friday, we’re expecting to see deals on the iPhone 12 line-up, now that the iPhone 13 is out, as well as the second-gen AirPods, 2020 iPads, MacBooks and the Apple Watch series 6.
While there are still a few weeks to go until Black Friday, Three, Very, Currys and Amazon have kicked off the sale action early, and currently have reductions on the iPhone 13, iPhone 12 pro, the iPad mini, MacBooks, Beats headphones and more. These are the best deals to snap up right now.
Apple AirPods pro with MagSafe charging case: Was £239, now £199, Amazon.co.uk
Apple AirPods pro are pretty pricey but, thanks to Amazon’s early Black Friday sale, you can snap them up for a fraction of the cost. In our review of the earbuds, our tester said they “are a high-end pair of earphones that are difficult to find much fault in”. Retaining a similar design to the original AirPods (was £119, now £116, Amazon.co.uk), they feature Apple’s signature glossy white finish but come with three different sized silicone eartips, so you can find the perfect fit for you. As for the noise quality, our tester added that “it’s a sound topped by few rivals,” with an impressive active noise-cancelling function that shuts out ambient noise. The AirPods pro also come with Apple’s new MagSafe wireless charging case, released in October.
Apple iPhone 13 pro: Was £71 per month, now £35.50 per month, Three.co.uk
Mobile network provider Three is offering the all-new iPhone 13 pro, with its stellar camera system, at half the price for the first six months of your contract. While you do have to pay £69 up-front on the 128GB pro model, you’ll get unlimited texts, calls and access to 5G data speeds. Plus, you’ll also receive a £100 gift voucher to spend at Amazon. In our review of the iPhone 13 pro, our writer said: “The swathe of photographic improvements alone are worth upgrading for, made possible by a faster processor and better camera sensors.”
Apple iPhone 13: Was £57 per month, now £46 per month, Sky.com
If you’ve been considering upgrading to the iPhone 13, now is the time to do it because you can get 50 per cent off Sky’s 60GB plan in its early Black Friday sale. The new model looks similar to the iPhone 12, and has a smaller notch in the display, a new camera system and is powered by the company’s latest A15 chip, which, according to Apple, means it’s up to 50 per cent faster than its competitors. In our review of the phone, our tester said the iPhone 13 delivers “blazing-fast performance, great design and great cameras”, which makes “good photography easy”.
Apple iPhone 12 pro max: Was £1049, now £999, Currys.co.uk
Great for screen junkies, the iPhone 12 pro max’s 6.7in super retina XDR display is an impressive 0.2in bigger than the already-large iPhone 11 pro max – allowing for higher resolution and more vivid detail in your photos or videos. For the accident-prone, there’s also a ceramic shield display that’s tougher than any other smartphone screen before it, as well as scratch and water resistance. If your wallet can’t stretch to the latest 13 models, the iPhone 12 pro max is a great alternative.
Apple iPhone 12: Was £45.54 per month, now £38.54 per month, O2.co.uk
Pay £20 upfront and you can get Apple’s iPhone 12 with 64GB of storage for the reduced price of £38.54 per month in O2’s early Black Friday sale. That’s a saving of up to £252 over the course of a 36-month contract. You’ll get 150GB of data each month, which is plenty enough to last you hours and hours of Netflix streaming on Apple’s first 5G phone. The iPhone 12 is a great all-rounder. “If having the latest model isn’t high on your list of priorities, consider the iPhone 12, which is designed to have the broadest appeal,” our writer said in our round-up of the best iPhones. “It is a comprehensive package, complete with upgraded specs packed into a familiar form factor.”
Apple MacBook air, M1, 2020, 16GB RAM, 256GB storage: Was £1,199, now £1,149, Very.co.uk
Very has slashed the price of the 2020 M1 MacBook air with 16GB of RAM by £50 in its early Black Friday sale. The laptop featured in our round-up of the best high-end laptops for great performance, with our tester saying that it was “remarkably lightweight and slim, an effect made all the more appealing thanks to a tapered design – at its thinnest point, it’s 0.41cm thick”. And the new version is the first to use Apple’s own M1 chip instead of an Intel processor, meaning it’s breathtakingly fast too.
Apple iPhone 12 pro: Was £949, now £899, Currys.co.uk
The less expensive iPhone 12 pro model has many of the same features as the pro max, including the ceramic shield technology as well as the A14 bionic chip and the ultra-wide and telephoto lens. In our review of the phone, we praised the “sleek stainless steel finish” and the “lovely new flat-edge design, harking back to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 days.” If you’re looking to upgrade, there’s no better time as Curry’s offering £50 off the model right now in its early Black Friday sale.
Apple iPad mini, 2021, 6th gen, 256GB: Was £619, now £599, Amazon.co.uk
The latest iPad mini has been out for less than two months and it’s already on sale at Amazon. While the savings are only modest, Apple rarely ever discounts the price on its kit, plus it’s the latest 2021 model, so it’s even more of a steal. “The iPad mini is like a smaller version of the iPad air, but it’s also more powerful than that and has features the air can’t match such as ‘centre stage’ for video calls,” our writer said in our review of the new iPad mini. “It has a super-fast processor, and it’s amazingly convenient and pocketable.”
Apple iPhone 12 mini, 128GB: Was £47 per month, now £22.50 per month, Three.co.uk
If smaller phones are more your thing, then check out this deal on the iPhone 12 mini from Three. While you’ll have to pay £29 up-front, you’ll get the first six months of your contract at half the price, plus 100GB of data, unlimited texts and unlimited minutes. The iPhone 12 mini packs in the same features as the regular iPhone 12, just in a smaller body.
Apple Watch series 6 with GPS and cellular, 44mm stainless steel: Was £699, now £639, Amazon.co.uk
If you’re looking to up your fitness game, then the 2020 Apple Watch series 6 with the stainless steel casing is currently on sale at Amazon. It boasts a 44mm always-on display, an ECG and blood oxygen monitor, as well as that glorious swim-proof design. This model also has both GPS and cellular, so you’ll be able to make calls, text from your wrist and get directions without having to take your iPhone out on those runs. “The series 6 has everything going for it,” our reviewer said, and it’s especially good for those “interested in wellness features like blood oxygen levels and taking an ECG on your wrist.”
If the stainless steel model is a little too rich for your tastes, then the 44mm aluminium model with GPS but no cellular currently has 15 per cent off (was £409, now £349, Amazon.co.uk)
Beats solo 3: Was £179, now £129, Very.co.uk
The Beats solo 3 wireless headphones are the brand’s smallest headphones in its on- and over-ear range. Like most Beats headphones, they come with Apple’s W1 chip built-in, so they pair easily to your iPhone and other Apple devices. You get an estimated 40 hours of battery life from these cans, but they can also be hooked up with a wire if you find yourself running out of battery. Plus, there’s now £50 off at Very.
Apple USB-C digital AV multi-port adaptor: Was £75, now £61.24, Amazon.co.uk
This isn’t the sexiest Apple product in the world, but for anyone needing to hook up their MacBook or iPad to an external monitor, then it’s a real lifesaver. The official USB-C digital AV adapter from Apple lets you connect your USB-C enabled Mac or iPad pro to an HDMI display, while also providing extra ports for a standard USB device and a USB-C charging cable, essentially giving you two extra ports. It displays 1080p at 60Hz when connected up to your Mac, so it’s all crisp and clear on the monitor. This is one of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen this adapter sell for on Amazon.
What is Black Friday?
If you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade, Black Friday is an annual sales event and typically the last opportunity to bag a bargain before Christmas.
The shopping extravaganza originally started across the pond in the US as a one-day event the day after Thanksgiving but, since arriving in the UK, it now lasts until the following Monday (aka Cyber Monday).
What’s the history of Black Friday?
The first reports of Black Friday date back to around the 1950s in the US, when shops in Philadelphia discounted products to mark the beginning of the festive season. Later uses of the term in the Sixties saw the police referring to “Black Friday” when describing the chaotic traffic congestion the day after Thanksgiving.
Black Friday became a modern retail phenomenon in the mid-2000s, when footage of impatient shoppers falling over one another to grab discounted electronics went viral. Since 2005, Black Friday has consistently been the busiest shopping day in the United States.
Amazon brought the fun to British shores in 2010, and since then Black Friday has become just as hyped in the UK as it is in the US.
When will Apple Black Friday 2021 deals start?
The 2021 event falls on 26 November and there will be deals dropping throughout the whole weekend, concluding on Cyber Monday on 29 November.
However, deals could start dropping earlier and end later, as each year the Black Friday weekend increases in size. We’ve already seen Very kick off its Black Friday sale, and Amazon and Currys have joined in next.
What is Cyber Monday?
The Monday following Black Friday has come to be known as Cyber Monday, traditionally because online sales would peak. This year, it falls on 29 November. It’s usually the last day of the sales but, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday is getting longer and longer, with some retailers’ deals running into the January sales.
What’s the best way to get a Black Friday 2021 deal?
Throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the IndyBest team will be continually updating our guides with the most impressive discounts to snap up across tech, fashion and beauty, home appliances, toys, TVs, and Apple deals, too, of course.
We’ll also be handpicking offers from a host of retailers, so make sure you keep checking back during for all the latest bargains.
Unlike last year, when many shops were closed amid the pandemic, the event will go ahead in-store as well as online now that lockdown restrictions have eased, so it’s worth popping your head into your local stores as well.
Tips for shopping the Black Friday event online
The best way to ensure you’re prepared is to set up accounts with all the big retailers, including Amazon, Argos, Currys and Very. This makes shopping on the day easier and quicker, and it means you’ll be less likely to miss out on a deal. If you’re after next-day delivery, sign up for Amazon Prime or start a free 30-day trial in the lead up to the event.
We’d also recommend signing up to any newsletters from your favourite retailers that are likely to sell Apple products. It’s the best way to ensure that you’ll be the first to know when the sales start and have access to any discount codes you may need.
Download the apps of your favourite retailers and follow them on social media too, as they often promote certain dates and products ahead of the sale.
You should also read the retailer’s returns policy if you’ve not shopped there before. And finally, ensure your anti-malware software is up to date. Read our review of the best solutions here.
Tips for shopping the Apple Black Friday 2021 sale
The IndyBest team will be on-hand throughout the Black Friday event to help you navigate the discounts on iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods and more, bringing you the best Apple deals from all the major retailers as we find them.
Apple also has a Black Friday-esque sale itself and usually provides people with a gift card if they make a qualifying purchase during the event. Last year, between 27 November and 30 November, Apple was offering between £20 and £120 Apple store gift cards if you bought an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Beats headphones, Apple TV or AirPods.
We’d also keep an eye on Amazon, John Lewis & Partners, Aldi, Very and Currys, who have all slashed prices on Apple products in the past, as well as mobile network providers like O2, Three and Virgin Media.
Will the iPhone 13 be on sale during Black Friday?
There’s a good chance the iPhone 13 will be discounted this Black Friday. These deals will most likely be trade-in promotions, which is what we saw last year, but never rule out discounts on the handsets sans-contract. The deals might not be as good as they were at launch, with network providers frequently offering the best discounts as close to the phone’s release date as possible. Check out our round-up of the best iPhone 13 contract deals for more information.
What were the best Apple Black Friday deals last year?
As we mentioned above, Apple rarely ever reduces the price of its products, no matter the time of the year. But on Black Friday, you’ll be able to find discounts on the tech company’s gadgets from almost every third-party retailer.
Last year, Very slashed the price of the Apple AirPods pro from £249 all the way down to £198 (£199, Very.co.uk). In our review of the best wireless earbuds, our writer said that they “fit the ears perfectly, with a near-spherical part nestling in the ear comfortably and securely”. The tester added that three different-sized silicone eartips come in the box, so you can choose the right size for a perfect fit.
Over on Amazon, we saw the retailer slash the price of the 2020 Apple iPad pro with the A12 Bionic chip. It was reduced to £706.70 (£849, Argos.co.uk). This time around, we predict the iPad pro 2021 will be on sale. The retailer also reduced the price of the 13in MacBook pro, which came with 16GB RAM, a 1TB SSD storage and a magic keyboard. It was reduced from £1,999 to £1,829 (£1,784, Amazon.co.uk).
The MacBook pro 16in made it to the very top of our round-up of the best high-end laptops, with our reviewer noting: “Apple doesn’t put touchscreens on its laptops, putting this decision down to an ergonomic deficit caused by raising your hand from the keyboard to tap the display. But the touch bar is the answer to that. The display is high resolution and gorgeous to look at, with thin bezels on each side. The lid is perfectly weighted so you can open the laptop with one finger – some laptops would need you to hold down the base as you did so to stop it overbalancing.”
Elsewhere, John Lewis & Partners dropped the Apple Watch series 3 model from a high of £211 down to £195 (£179, Johnlewis.com). The series 3 monitors your heart rate and measures your sleep, and can also track workouts such as swimming, running, cycling and dancing. It’s swim-proof too, so you can get it wet, plus you can also use it to take calls, reply to texts, sync your music and listen to podcasts on the go.
The Apple Watch series 6 model previously topped our review of the best smartwatches. John Lewis & Partners also lets you claim up to £120 if you trade in an old Apple Watch series 2.
On the iPhone front, we saw Three discount the all-new iPhone 12 pro max (Three.co.uk), with some AirPods thrown in for good measure. The network provider was selling it at a starting price of £38.50 per month.
Other retailers were selling older iPhones, like the 64GB iPhone 11 in purple for £579, reduced from £729 (£599, Very.co.uk). Expect to see some deals on the iPhone 13.
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For the latest discounts on Apple, tech, toys and more, try the links below:
Read more on Black Friday 2021
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Best alcohol Black Friday deals – whether you’re a fan of gin, vodka, tequila, beer or wine, you’ll be able to bag a bargain
Best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals – whether it’s the OLED, lite or original you’re after, level up with these discounts
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Best Black Friday Aldi deals – the budget supermarket is expected to slash prices on big-ticket items like the Nintendo Switch
Best Amazon Black Friday deals – our pick of the best bargains from the millions out there
Best Argos Black Friday deals – find discounts on everything from kids to homeware, fitness and DIY
Best Boots Black Friday deals – there’s no better time to save on beauty, skincare, electric toothbrushes and more
Best Currys Black Friday deals – for everything from TVs and laptops to kettles and coffee machines
Best Black Friday Dyson deals – bag a bargain on the brand’s corded, cordless and handheld vacuum cleaners
Best John Lewis & Partners Black Friday deals – the high street stalwart will have great prices on fashion, beauty, tech, kids and homeware
