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Best Apple Black Friday deals 2020: Offers on AirPods, iPhones, iPads and Macbooks OLD

It is notorious for not getting involved in annual sales, so here’s how to get discounts on its best products elsewhere (The Independent)
It is notorious for not getting involved in annual sales, so here’s how to get discounts on its best products elsewhere (The Independent)

As Black Friday is just one day away, get your shopping baskets at the ready as there are thousands of savings to look forward to in the biggest shopping event of the year.

Hailing from America, the mad day of discounts originally began on the day after Thanksgiving, but has since arrived in the UK and now spand the weekend and the following Monday, aka Cyber Monday.

Usually retailers start their pre-sale deals a week ahead of the big day, but this year they have started earlier than ever before. Amazon launched its sale a whole month early and featured Apple products. Keep up to date on the sale with our guide to the best early Amazon deals.

Follow live: Latest early Black Friday deals

Other retailers who have begun early sales include Very, Currys PC World, John Lewis & Partners, O2, and AO which are all great places to look for Apple deals too. But they’re not the only ones as Boots and Superdrug have also begun early deals.

From 27 November until 30 November, Apple will be offering shoppers a £120 Apple Store gift card with qualifying purchase across iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, Beats headphones, Apple TV and AirPods. However, for discounts on Apple products, you'll need to look to other retailers, such as Currys PC World, Argos and John Lewis, you simply need to know where to shop.

We’ve hunted down the best apple Black Friday deals so far, and if you ever needed an excuse to treat yourself, 2020 is the year.

Here's our round-up of the best discounts on everything from headphones to laptops.

Our IndyBest team hand-picks every deal we feature. We may earn some commission from the links in this article, but our selections have been made independently and without bias. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Best Black Friday Apple deals

Best Apple AirPods Black Friday deals

Apple AirPods with charging case: Was £159, now £124.49, Amazon

Apple
Apple

Enjoy an impressive 22 per cent off the second generation AirPods in Amazon’s early Black Friday sale. David Phelan, our technology critic, rated these highly in his IndyBest review of the best wireless earbuds, saying: “Apple’s distinctive earbuds have been massively successful since they first launched and they remain even now some of the very lightest in-ears you can find.

“The design is unchanged since day one, but improved electronics inside mean that you can say, ‘Hey, Siri’ to invoke the virtual assistant without even touching the earbuds,” he added.

He also rated the pro version of the AirPods which are on sale too, down from £249 to £209, but still commended the standard AirPods for their sound quality: “The fit is slightly different from the pro – there’s no silicone ear tip – and there’s no noise-cancelling. Even so, audio quality is very good, as is call quality, which works even if you only use one earbud.”

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Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless Case: Was £249, now £199, Very

Apple
Apple

If you want to upgrade your original AirPods or are just looking to go all out, look to the Pro version, which were awarded the best buy in our review of the best wireless earbuds. David Phelan, our technology critic, said: “Apple’s deluxe earbuds offer the best noise-cancelling of any in-ear headphones. They fit the ears perfectly, with a near-spherical part nestling in the ear comfortably and securely. Three different sizes of silicone eartips are in the box, so you can choose the right size for a perfect fit.

“To help you out, there’s an eartip fit test screen on the phone which plays a short burst of music and can work out if the fit is good or not. The microphones which help with this test and ensure the noise-cancelling is effective also work well for hands-free phone calls," he added. With a £50 saving, snap them up as they’ll go fast.

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Best Apple iPad Black Friday deals

2020 Apple iPad Pro 11in, A12Z Bionic, iOS, Wi-Fi, 128GB, Silver: Was £769, now £706.70, Amazon

Apple
Apple

Apple products don’t come cheap and the brand is notorious for not participating in many sales, so although this isn’t a huge saving, it’s a worthy inclusion for the latest 2020 Pro model. Our technology critic, David Phelan, explained in his review the difference between the 2020 iPad Pro and the previous version: “The biggest changes are the new LiDAR scanner and the improved cameras which are designed to turn the iPad Pro into a portable movie studio, say, rather than a better way to take photographs.” With a two-year guarantee, you can also claim up to £150 when trading in an old iPad with John Lewis. The larger 12.9in model is also on sale at John Lewis, reduced from £1069 to £1,019.

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Apple iPad mini (256GB): Was £549, now £499, Amazon

Apple
Apple

This mini (7.9in screen) cousin to the Apple iPad made its way into our 2020 guide of the best tablets, with our reviewer noting: “The screen resolution is much higher than on other iPads and most other tablets, so it’s extremely detailed. It also has a fast processor and access to all the apps found on other models.” It has a touch fingerprint sensor and up to 10 hours of battery life. Only the space grey and silver models have a £50 saving: if you opt for the rose gold finish the money off is a slightly less generous £20.

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Apple iPad Pro, 12.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 256GB - Space Grey (4th Generation): Was £1069, now £990.20, Amazon

Apple
Apple

This tablet rivals the size of some laptops and also comes with a retina display and wide-angle camera for picture-perfect photos, graphic design work and presentations. Promising up to 10 hours battery life and the ability to be used with an Apple Pencil or keyboard attachment, this is ideal if you want to have the most streamlined, lightweight device for work as possible.

Our technology critic, David Phelan, wrote in his review of the best tablets of 2020, “It is incredibly fast, and as Apple is fond of pointing out, more powerful than many high-end laptops. The software it uses, iPadOS, is slightly different from what’s found on iPhones, and it includes features better suited to a big screen such as split-screen capabilities so you can display a web browser and a word processing document side-by-side, for instance, with a smaller window floating at the side.”

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Apple Pencil (2nd Generation): Was £119, now £103.59, Amazon

Apple
Apple

Save £15.41 on this Apple Pencil, designed for note-taking, writing and drawing on the iPad Pro. The pencil attaches magnetically to the iPad and charges wirelessly, so it’s ready to use whenever you need it. (It takes one lithium ion battery which is included). It Can be used with the 11-inch iPad Pro (latest model) and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd Generation).

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Best Apple MacBook Black Friday deals

Apple MacBook Air (2020) 13 inch: Was £1,399, now £1249, Very

Apple
Apple

If you’re an Apple fan, bag this bargain now as the tech giant is known for rarely offering discounts on its products. This MacBook has a retina display, backlit keyboard, touch ID for logins, stereo speaker and promises 11-hours of battery life and 8GB of memory. It’s thin, lightweight and made with a tenth-generation Intel Core i7 processor which claims to make light work of big projects and files. The Apple macbook pro 16in previously topped our guide to the best high-end laptops for working from home.

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Apple Macbook Air Core i3 8GB 256GB SSD 13.3 Inch laptop: Was £999, now £919, Currys PC World

Apple
Apple

This thin, light and portable offering from Apple is perfect for anyone looking to upgrade their working from home laptop. Its “magic keyboard” boasts smart features like touch ID so you can unlock your laptop at the touch of a finger, while 8GB of memory meets all storage needs. With £79 off, this deal cannot be missed.

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Apple Macbook Pro 2020 Core i5 8th Gen 256GB 13in with touch bar- space grey: Was £1299, now £1180, Currys PC World

Apple
Apple

The 2020 Macbook pro offers a new level of performance without compromising on portability. Its features include an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB ram, 256GB SSD, and a 13.3in screen and still only weighs 1.4 kilos. We reviewed a similar model in our round-up of the best high-end laptops.

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Best Apple Watch Black Friday deals

Apple Watch Series 3: Was £279, now £189, Very

Apple
Apple

If you’re keen to improve your fitness and want a piece of tech to help track your progress, add this bargain to your basket. It monitors your heart rate, measures your sleep and workouts such as swimming, running, cycling and dancing, is swim-proof so you can get it wet and you can also use it take calls, reply to texts, sync your music and listen to podcasts on the go. The Apple Watch series 6 model also previously topped our review of the best smartwatches.

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Apple Watch Series 5 44mm - GPS, Pink Sand Sport Band: Was £489, Now £429, J.D Williams

J.D Williams
J.D Williams

Save £60 on the Apple Watch Series 5. It has both style and substance, with a sapphire crystal and ceramic back and always-on retina display. Not only does it monitor your heart rate, sleep and physical activity, but it even a compass that also shows elevation, so you are ready for anything life throws at you. The watch also has cellular connectivity, so you can stream music or podcasts, or give someone a call mid-hike, when you are far away from any wifi. With 18 hours of battery life and water-resistance up to 50m, you don’t want to pass on this deal.

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Apple Watch SE GPS, 40mm: Was £269, now £259, Amazon

Apple
Apple

You can take calls and reply to texts from your wrist with this Apple Watch SE, and its processor claims to be twice as fast as the Series 3 watch (in fact it has many of the features of the Series 6 model at a lower price). You can track your fitness and daily activity including running, walking, cycling and yoga – and the design is swimproof too in case you find yourself in the water at any point. Available in gold, white or black and in 44mm (also £10 off) as well as 40mm.

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Best Apple iPhone Black Friday deals

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max with AirPods: From £38.50 per month with £99 upfront cost, Three

Apple
Apple

If you’re in the market for a new phone, Three has plenty of offers on contracts like this one, with six months half price at £38.50 a month, that also comes with AirPods, unlimited data, texts and minutes. It has a 6.7in screen, the biggest screen ever on an iPhone, with a bigger battery and camera than other models. The Independent's technology critic, David Phelan, said in his reivew: “When it comes to battery life, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is epic, it just goes on and on.

"The 6.7in display looks magnificent and in performance terms, it’s near-identical to the other phones in the range, that is, it’s super-fast whether you’re playing a graphics-intensive game (which looks phenomenal on this big display), streaming video, or just opening emails and launching apps."

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iPhone 12 Mini with AirPods: From £29.50 a month with £29 upfront cost, Three

Apple
Apple

Enjoy a half price contract for six months with this deal on the brand new iPhone 12 Mini – there’s plenty of extras thrown in too. For just £29.50 a month and an upfront cost of £29, you’ll be getting unlimited data, calls and texts, with a pair of AirPods and a year’s subscription AppleTV+ too.

According to Apple, it’s the world’s smallest and lightest 5G phone. The Independent's technology critic, David Phelan, reviewed the device, and said: “If you don’t want a big phone, because your hands won’t stretch to one or it’ll ruin the line of your suit, or some other reason, the iPhone 12 mini is pretty compelling. It’s also the first iPhone as small as this to feature an OLED screen, with a much higher resolution than the LCD screen of the iPhone 11, for instance.“

He explains that the display is the highest-resolution iPhone screen ever, beating the other iPhone 12 handsets, describing it as “pin-sharp, bright and with great colour fidelity.”

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Apple iPhone 12 5G: Save up to £180, O2

Apple
Apple

O2 launched its “best-ever Black Friday deals” a whole three weeks before the big day. Running from 5 November until 2 December, the retailer has savings on phones, tablets and smartwatches, including on Apple devices. It will also be including a range of refurbished devices in its Black Friday offers for the first time ever.

There’s £180 to be saved on O2’s iPhone 12 5G 64GB unlimited data package that has a £30 upfront cost and a monthly cost of £51.37. This offer will also give you 30 per cent off Apple AirPods until 25 December and a six month’s subscription to Deliveroo Plus.

In our technology critic’s review of it, he said: “The big change with the iPhone 12 series is that it now comes with 5G, ensuring that you’re not slowed down by an iffy cellular connection. Its speed is impressive and as more demanding apps and games are released, could prove to be game-changing.”

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iPhone 11: Save £180, Virgin Media

iPhone
iPhone

Virgin Media has kicked off its Black Friday sale early, with plenty of offers on broadband and TV packages, as well as on phone contracts. In what the brand claims to be its lowest price ever, you can save £180 on the iPhone 11 when opting for a 36 month contract. For £25 a month and no upfront cost, you can enjoy unlimited texts and minutes and 1GB of data with this 64GB model. For more data, the 8GB package costs just £29 a month, again with no upfront cost. It’s available in three colours.

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Apple iPhone SE 2020: Save £200, O2

Apple
Apple

O2 is offering a £200 saving on the iPhone SE as part of its unlimited data bundle.

With a £50 upfront cost and a monthly bill of £39.84, you’ll get plenty of added extras, including six months of Deliveroo Plus, 12 months of Disney Plus or six months of Audible, and a one-year subscription to Apple TV+. There are other plans available too, including 1gb and 5gb packages, where you can still save money. The handset is available in black, blue and red.

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Apple iPhone 11 Pro 64GB: Save £406, Vodafone

Apple
Apple

For Black Friday, Vodafone is slashing its prices on its range of smartphones, with big-name brands such as Samsung and Apple included. This iPhone 11 Pro 24-month contract has been reduced from £69 a month with £99 upfront cost to £55 a month with £29 upfront cost. However it’s only available online until 26 November, so move quick to score yourself a hefty saving.

The phone has a super retina display in a 5.8in or 6.5in screen promising 4K video and image quality and a long-life battery. The larger Apple iPhone 11 pro max model was the best buy in our review of the best smartphones of 2020. Our technology critic said: "Where some earlier iPhones had average battery life, here, it’s epic – it lasts a full day and more with ease. It’s exceptionally intuitive to use, and highly enjoyable."

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iPhone 11 256GB in Black: Was £969, Now £749, J.D Willliams

J.D Williams
J.D Williams

If you're looking to buy the iPhone 11 outright rather than on contract, now is the time to snap it up with a £200 saving. With its liquid retina HD LCD display, dual-camera system, face ID for secure authentication and portrait mode for the best selfies, this deal is not to be missed out on. It is also dust and water resistant, (up to 2m deep for up to 30 minutes), so it'll be protected from any mishaps. We'd still recommend buying a case though, so check out our review of the best here.

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Apple iPhone XR, 128gb: Was £779, now £549, Very

Apple
Apple

Save a huge £230 and get a one year’s subscription to Apple TV+ with this iPhone XR deal on Very. It’s not the latest iPhone model, but it still features the most advanced LCD technology, Face ID, and a 12MP camera with portrait mode for the perfect selfie. The 125gb model is water and dust resistant too, although we wouldn’t suggest testing it under water. If you’re looking to buy a phone outright, this is a great price.

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When is Black Friday 2020?

The annual sale will fall on Friday 27 November, and will run over the weekend until 30 November, which is Cyber Monday. As usual, we’re expecting the sale to last far longer than just the main weekend though, as the pre-sales have started earlier than ever before.

Amazon started its early Black Friday deals a whole month ahead, while Boots, Superdrug, Currys PC World, Very and John Lewis have also followed suit. We’re updating all our of Black Friday guides with the best deals.

The Apple Black Friday deals to expect

The tech giant is known for its lack of participation in sales, unlike its competitors, but it does have a select few offers across the Black Friday weekend.

Last year, it didn’t have any discounts when shopping directly with Apple, however it did give customers gift cards of up to £160 with qualifying purchases, based on how much you spent. This year it’s offering a similar deal, but has been less generous with the deal, giving customers just £120 on a gift card with certain purchases.

We’d suggest keeping an eye on our deal guides for Amazon, John Lewis and Currys PC World for more Apple deals, as well as this round-up.

How to get the best Apple Black Friday deals

Here at IndyBest, our team will be bringing you all the details you need to know on the offers available, so you can shop smart and tick off your shopping list.

Make sure to check back here for regular updates throughout the sale.

As the best of Apple’s Black Friday offers are often from other tech retailers, so keep checking our other Black Friday guides, as reliable retailers such as John Lewis & Partners, Argos, Amazon and Currys PC World will have some of the best deals available.

As coronavirus rumbles on and a second lockdown continues, the sales will all move online this year, so get ahead by making your wish lists now to avoid disappointment.

How long will the discounts last?

The sale runs from Black Friday (27 November) through to Cyber Monday (30 November), but some retailers continue their sales into December.

Read more on Black Friday 2020

How to get the best Black Friday deals this year – When the sale starts, how to get the best savings, and how to prepare

Best Amazon Black Friday deals – There will be millions of deals, so check in here for our pick of the best

Best Currys PC World Black Friday deals – For everything from TVs to laptops, and kettles to coffee machines

Best John Lewis & Partners Black Friday deals – With great deals on fashion, beauty, tech, kids and homewares it will be a go-to for many

Best Argos Black Friday deals – Covering everything from kids to homewares and fitness to DIY

Best Black Friday tech deals – Whether it’s a new phone contract or noise-cancelling headphones, you’ll find the best deal here

Best Black Friday TV deals – Update your at-home cinema experience without paying full price with our featured deals

Best Black Friday laptop deals – There’s hundreds of pounds to be saved on laptops from big-name brands such as Apple, Microsoft and HP

Best Black Friday gaming deals – Struggling to choose which console to buy, or after a new controller or game? Here's our expert guide

Best Black Friday home appliances deals – Now’s the time to upgrade your vacuum cleaner or coffee machine

Best Black Friday fashion deals – Whether its a pair of boots or a coat, treat yourself to new season essentials

Best Black Friday beauty deals – Stock up on your favourites across make-up, skincare, haircare and fragrance

Best Black Friday kids’ toys deals – Get your Christmas shopping done and dusted, with deals from Disney, Lego, Playmobil and more

Best Black Friday mattress deals – Rest easy with big discounts for brands such as Emma, Eve Sleep and Simba

Best Black Friday furniture deals – There's no need to wait until the January sale to get a bargain sofa, wardrobe or armchair

The stores taking part in Black Friday – Our predictions based on last year, which we’ll be updating as the deals begin

Read More

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