Black Friday 2019 is just over a month away, and we’re already digging into expected pricing for this year’s biggest shopping event. First up, we’re taking a look at what Apple is likely to have planned for Thanksgiving week. While we don’t expect to see many discounts direct from Apple, plenty of authorized retailers are sure to be in the mix this year. You’ll find all of our Apple Black Friday predictions below for 2019.
Where to shop for Apple Black Friday deals
While Apple is likely to do some blend of its education promotion for Black Friday this year, the best deals are sure to be elsewhere. Over the last year, Amazon has stepped up in a big way as the premier location for Apple discounts since it became an authorized retailer in 2018. Amazon made waves as it aggressively price-mated Best Buy, Target, and other retailers, ensuring that it was nearly guaranteed to have the best offers. We expect much of the same in 2019.
The best Apple Black Friday deals will also be found at various smaller retailers, as well. While Amazon has the firepower mid-range retailers like B&H, ABT Electronics, Costco, and others are expected to offer notable Apple price drops as well. Of course, we’ll be continually updating our Apple guide with all of the best Black Friday offers.
Which Apple devices will be on sale?
Black Friday always delivers the best iPad and MacBook deals, but this year you can expect notable discounts on the latest iPhones, as well. Apple Watch will also see significant discounts. Apple TV has rarely gone on sale in 2019, and you can expect much of the same during Thanksgiving week. We also hope to see various Apple Black Friday discounts on accessories like Apple Watch bands and more. You can find all of our predictions sorted by category.
MacBooks and iMacs
Throughout 2019, we’ve primarily seen $199 discounts on Apple’s entry-level MacBook Air. Now that the brand’s lineup has been trimmed down with the execution of the 12-inch MacBook, many are looking to the Air as a go-to machine for school and mobile lifestyles. That demand is likely to bring $300 off for the first time and reduce Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air down to $800, which frankly is a pretty crazy price. If we see that Apple Black Friday prediction comes true, it’s sure to be one of the hottest deals of 2019.
MacBook Pro has mostly been hit or miss on the deal scene as Apple has looked to remedy its keyboard woes with regular yearly updates recently. Because of this, the market has been flooded with discounted previous-generation inventory. That’s a trend we expect to continue well into Black Friday 2019. Look for the 13-inch model to be discounted by $400 and the larger 15-inch variation to see upwards of $500 off come Thanksgiving week.
That leaves us with Apple’s iMac, which has been privy to a relatively consistent stream of discounts this year. Most deals have taken $200 off various models at Amazon and other retailers. We expect that to hold fairly steady this year. Why? Demand isn’t what it used to be for Apple’s iMac line.
iPads expected to steal the show again
Black Friday is iPad season. It always has been. And likely will be for the foreseeable future. This year’s lineup from Apple is arguably the most comprehensive ever. iPad and iPad mini lead the low-end, with iPad Air holding it down in the middle, and iPad Pro remains arguably the best tablet from Apple ever. At this point, we’re not expecting to see new iPad Pro models until 2020, so this is likely to be the lineup come Black Friday week.
iPad mini, iPad Air, and the new 10.2-inch iPad have all seen $30 to $50 discounts over the last few months. Expect that number to jump to $99 for Black Friday. High-end cellular models may go to $150 off, but it’s hard to believe any retailers will cross that threshold.
That leaves us with iPad Pro. There’s so much to love about Apple’s high-end iPad, and we’ve seen several notable discounts in 2019 that make it all the more loveable. Typically, you can find $200 off at Amazon. Periodically, that number has climbed to $300 off. This Black Friday, with new models expected shortly afterward, we’re anticipating up to $500 off Apple’s 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. With a similar design and small spec bump coming in 2020, Black Friday 2019 will be the best time ever to invest in an iPad Pro.
Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 5 is likely to see its first significant price drop during Black Friday 2019. However, arguably, the best Apple Black Friday deals will be on Series 3 models. Prices were just reduced to $199 following last month’s keynote. However, we expect that price to fall 25% to a new all-time low of $150 for Black Friday 2019. That may very well be the deal of the year.
iPhones, Apple TV, more
Black Friday typically delivers gift card deals for iPhones, and you can expect the latest models from Apple to get the same treatment this year. The best Apple Black Friday deals on iPhones will center around credit at Target and Walmart when you activate a new line. Those gift card offers generally top out at $300. You can also expected various carriers to offer buy one get one deals throughout Thanksgiving week as well. Trade-ins are often required in those instances.
Apple TV deals are mostly non-existent these days. Sadly, much of the same is expected in 2019. Meijer has often delivered gift cards with purchase with a caveat of having to make another purchase within a week or so. Otherwise, there’s not much to offer here. There will also be plenty of Apple Black Friday deals on accessories, like Apple Watch bands, but those prices are much harder to predict at this point.
Keep up with 9to5Toys before and during Black Friday
As always, we’ll be covering Black Friday and Cyber Monday extensively over the next six weeks. You can stay up to date by following us on Twitter and downloading our iOS app. For the best Apple deals, be sure to bookmark our guide, which will be updated continuously throughout Thanksgiving week.
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