Every year, the newest iPhone is a highly-coveted Christmas gift. The same goes for the iPhone 14 models in 2022, especially the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. But 2022 isn’t like other years, as a lockdown in China has impacted Apple’s main iPhone 14 Pro production hub. That’s why your best chance to score an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max in time for Christmas might be taking advantage of a Black Friday deal right away. If you don’t secure one during Black Friday, there’s a good chance your new iPhone won’t be delivered until sometime after Christmas.
Even now, ordering the iPhone 14 Pro directly from Apple means you’ll have to wait until after Christmas to get it. That’s a problem if you’re purchasing the handset for a special someone. Third-party retailers are also experiencing stock issues, as they get their supply from the same source in China.
Apple would be the best place to acquire an unlocked iPhone 14 Pro with no strings attached, even if that means paying full price for it. The third-party Black Friday deals that cover the iPhone 14 Pro will have various conditions.
You might have to qualify for savings by trading in an existing smartphone. You’ll also have to stay on a contract with a carrier for a number of months since most iPhone 14 Pro “discounts” are applied via bill credits. You might even have to switch providers to get a better deal, or at least activate a new line.
What’s worse is that retailers and carriers will only have some colors and storage options in stock. And that’s another compromise you may have to make on your Black Friday iPhone 14 Pro purchase.
That said, there are iPhone 14 Pro deals that you can take advantage of if you hurry.
Best Buy lets you save 5% instantly on an iPhone 14 Pro this Black Friday. The deal is good for all the iPhone 14 models in Apple’s lineup, including the cheaper ones. You can also save up to $1,000 on the iPhone 14 Pro with qualified activation and trade-in of iPhone 12 or newer. Moreover, if you’re a Best Buy Totaltech member, you get 24 months of AppleCare+ with most new purchases.
You can check Best Buy’s iPhone 14 Pro Black Friday deal at this link. As always, make sure you read the fine print before you commit.
Like Best Buy, Target has its own iPhone 14 Pro Black Friday savings in place. But they involve a carrier contract. You get up to $300 off an iPhone 14 Pro when you activate a new line.
Target’s discount goes down to $200 if you upgrade an existing line. You’ll still need to agree to a 36-month installment plan and a wireless service of at least $60/month.
Verizon is also running a Black Friday deal on the 128GB iPhone 14 Pro. The handset is free if you switch to Verizon, trade in an eligible phone, and sign up for a 5G Unlimited plan. Existing subscribers save $800 on the phone with a trade-in and an upgrade to select 5G Unlimited plans.
Verizon will sweeten the pot with an additional discount on Apple Watch SE 2, iPad 9, or Beats Fit Pro. The carrier says these gifts are “all on us,” but you’ll need cellular service plans for the Watch and iPad. Verizon’s iPhone 14 Pro Black Friday deal is available at this link.
Despite the inevitable hassles you must go through to get any of these deals, there’s no guarantee that your iPhone 14 Pro will arrive by December 25th. These retailers and carriers still have a finite amount of iPhone 14 Pro units in stock.
An alternative to the iPhone 14 Pro is the regular iPhone 14, which is still a fantastic device. And it so happens that T-Mobile has a great Black Friday deal for the iPhone 14. You can score up to four iPhone 14 devices on four 5G Unlimited lines. The wireless service will cost you just $100/month. This is a carrier deal, so terms and conditions will apply. But it’s an alternative to getting an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max.
While we’re at it, Apple will likely have enough iPhone 14 stock, so that’s another place you can purchase the cheaper models from. Just don’t expect any big Black Friday deals from Apple on its newest iPhones.
More Apple coverage: Check out the best Apple deals online right now.
