Apple announces its Black Friday promotions, but there are far better deals

By William Gallagher

Just ahead of its Black Friday promotion that begins on November 29, 2024, Apple has revealed that it will yet again be offering bundled gift cards -- even as other firms offer actual discounts.

Apple's Black Friday promotion starts on November 29 -- image credit: Apple

Once more

, Apple's Black Friday offering sees no discounts on any items. Instead, buyers of certain products get an Apple Gift Card ranging between $25 and $200 toward their next Apple purchase.

It has to be that the card is used against some future Apple purchase, so there are time when this can be useful. If you already know, for instance, that you are going to buy two items, you can get the gift card and use it as a discount on the second item.

An Apple Gift Card can be used toward the purchase of any Apple product. But Apple is very careful about which gift cards it gives with which devices -- if any.

For Black Friday 2024, the announced deals are:

  1. iPhone 15, iPhone 14, or iPhone SE -- up to $75
  2. M3 15-inch MacBook Air, M2 or M3 13-inch MacBook Air -- up to $200
  3. iPad, iPad Air, or iPad Pro -- up to $100
  4. Apple Watch SE -- $50
  5. AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 -- up to $75
  6. Apple TV 4K, HomePod -- up to $50
  7. Beats Studio Pro, Beats Solo 4 Wireless, Beats Solo Buds, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds, Beats Pill, or Beats Flex -- up to $50
  8. Accessories: Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (2nd generation), Magic Keyboard Folio, Smart Folio for iPad Pro, Smart Folio for iPad Air, or Smart Folio for iPad (10th generation) -- $25

Until November 29, it is not possible to delve further and determine why some deals are only "up to" a certain amount.

Most significantly, there are key omissions from the list. Buyers will not get gift card at all if they buy:

  1. MacBook Pro
  2. Mac mini
  3. iMac
  4. iPad mini
  5. Apple Watch Series 10
  6. Apple Watch Ultra 2
  7. Apple Watch Nike
  8. Apple Watch Hermes
  9. Any iPhone 16 model

Yet at least most of these are included in the Black Friday deals from other resellers. And those resellers all offer actual discounts, rather than gift cards.

Amazon's full list of Black Friday Apple deals, for instance, includes an M4 Mac mini with up to $100 off.

It's not impossible that Apple will add other items to its Black Friday promotion, but it is unlikely. And it is certain that Apple will only offer its gift cards.

Since resellers offering actual discounts will sell out, keep an eye on the live AppleInsider and constantly updated guide to the best Black Friday Apple deals.