Black Friday is here.
Yes, the annual sales event has begun, and we are making a beeline straight for the Apple deals.
As is typical of the Cupertino-based tech innovator, you will rarely see the brand itself offering discounts on its wares. In previous years, Apple has offered vouchers, but it’s really the retailers stocking the likes of the iPhones, Apple Watches, iPads, AirPods and Macs where you’ll find the biggest and best reductions.
We’re talking John Lewis, Amazon, Argos, Currys, Very, AO and more who offer up the covetable devices at a fraction of the original cost. While we can’t promise that the latest Apple iPhone 14 will be on offer, although surprisingly the iPhone 13 was included in the sale last year, there’s a high chance the newest watch will be available with some sort of discount and you will be sure to find the now iconic wireless headphones with price tags that will make you feel like you’ve got a steal.
But first things first...
What is Black Friday?
Bargain hunters everywhere spend all year making wishlists in honour of the Black Friday weekend. This is an annual sales event where just about every retailer and brand under the sun discount their offering. It is a tradition that began in the US and has gone global, taking place every year the day after our friends across the Atlantic celebrate Thanksgiving. Once stuffed to the brim with turkey and feel-good gratitudes, we take to the shops - be it virtual or in person - to stock up on pre-Christmas deals.
When is Black Friday 2022?
The Black Friday sales have unofficially begun already but the main event will take place on November 25. This will be closely followed by Cyber Monday...
When is Cyber Monday 2022?
Cyber Monday is the name given to the Monday that follows Black Friday. It is the culmination of the discounts and offers the last chance saloon to get your hands on the epic bargains. It will be taking place this year on November 28.
What were the best deals from Black Friday weekend last year?
The discounts last year saw the iPhone 12 model - just one year old at the time - discounted by over £100. There was also the new Apple Watch 7 cut by £20 and the latest AirPods of the moment down by £50.
What kinds of deals can we expect this year?
There is no better time to update your timeworn tech. Whether your battery life isn’t what it used to be or you’re getting regular notifications about full iCloud storage, step your device up a few notches by investing in the latest models, which we expect will be included in the sales event.
How to keep up to date with the best Black Friday deals
We will be regularly updating this article, scouring the internet from the best deals and detailing them right here. On top of the specific Apple deals, you will also be able to find articles on specific retailers as well as products - from smartwatches, to AirPods. We are also running a live blog with minute-by-minute updates.
Shop the best Apple deals below
Best Black Friday smartwatch deals 2022: Offers to expect on Apple, Garmin and more
Best TV deals for Black Friday 2022: Dates for the sale and offers to expect
Best Currys deals for Black Friday 2022: Offers to expect on top brands
Best tablet deals for Black Friday 2022: Offers on Android tabs and Apple iPads
Best Black Friday AirPod deals 2022: Top offers on Airpods Pro and Airpods Max
Best mattress deals for Black Friday 2022: Offers to expect from Emma, Simba and more
Best gaming deals for Black Friday 2022: Offers on PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Best air fryer deals for Black Friday 2022: Offers to expect on Ninja and more
Best tech deals for Black Friday 2022: Offers to expect on tablets, gadgets and more
Apple AirPods Pro with MagSafe charging case (2021)
For all those Apple product lovers out there, you’re about to be blown away by price cuts on some of the latest models, including the Apple Airpods Pro.
If you’re yet to experience Pro listening, you’re in for a treat – there’s noise cancellation and transparency modes as well as various sized silicone tips for greater comfort and adjustability. We don’t expect this 21 per cent off deal to last long, so grab ‘em while you can.
Was: £239 (21 per cent off)
Buy now £184.00, John Lewis
Apple iPhone 13 Pro, 256Gb - Graphite
was: £1049
Buy now £1019.00, Very
Apple iPhone 13, 128Gb - Midnight
was: £779
Buy now £729.00, Very
Apple iPhone 12, 128Gb
Was: £849
Buy now £679.00, Very
Apple iPhone 13 Pro (512GB) - Sierra Blue
Was: £1,249
Buy now £1189.00, Amazon
Apple iPad Pro
Best for: Gaming acolytes of Apple
Fresh fruit from Apple, the new iPad Pro comes in a choice of two sizes, 11-inches and 12.9-inches, but for the sake of this I’m going to focus on the far more wieldy and perfectly portable 11-inch option.
Naturally, this is an iPad and, as such, previous iPad owners/borderline obsessives will pretty much know what to expect. And, yes, its ruddy fast alright, thanks to the 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU and slick iPadOS 16 operating system. Plus, bringing the ‘A’ game for the most demanding gamers, yep, it comes featuring a full 120Hz refresh rate.
Screen-wise, as previously stated, it’s an 11-incher with a beautiful Liquid Retina display featuring a 2388 x 1668-pixel resolution for images that are as pin-sharp as they smooth flowing, making this a gamer’s golden delight.
The audio side doesn’t bring a downer on the party either, thanks to the inclusion of four speakers delivering a decent level of reasonably well-balanced sound, while internal storage options run from ‘ample’ to ‘cavernously capacious’, depending on how deep your pockets are, with 128GB coming in at £900 and 2TB at a cost-of-living-crisis cold-shouldering £2150.
Weight-wise, the 11-inch Apple iPad Pro hefts in at 466g, which – to put it in some kind of perspective that’ll enrage any metric martyrs reading, is slightly heavier than a standard bag of sugar, so most people will be able to manage hours of quality handheld play without having to worry about RSI setting in or, indeed, tearing tendons in their hands.
Good-looking to boot, and packed with all the innovative, non-gaming-led tech we’ve come to expect from Apple, the new iPad Pro is undoubtedly expensive and limits owners to other Apple gear, but price equates to performance, so buy the ticket take the ride.
Tech Specs
Operating system: iPadOS 16
CPU: 8-core CPU with 4x performance cores and 4x efficiency cores
GPU: 10-core
Memory: 8GB
Screen: 11-inch LED backlit (2388 x 1668)
Refresh rate: 120Hz
Audio: Four speaker
Rear and front camera: 12MP and 10MP
Internal storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Battery: Up to 10-hours
Weight: 466g
Buy now £899.00, Currys
2022 Apple 10.9-inch iPad Air (Wi-Fi, 64GB) (5th Generation)
was: £669
Buy now £569.00, Amazon
2022 Apple 10.9-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) (10th generation)
was: £499
Buy now £469.00, Amazon
2021 Apple iPad (10.2-inch iPad, Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Space Grey (9th Generation)
Was: £319
Buy now £298.99, Amazon
2022 Apple iPad Pro 12.9", M2 Processor, iOS, Wi-Fi, 256GB, Space Grey
Was: £1,369
Buy now £1319.00, John Lewis
Apple MacBook Air M2
This is Apple’s cheapest laptop and in many ways the pinnacle of its design right now. Last year’s M1 model broke the mould, and the 2022 edition carries on right where it left off. The secret is in the new processors, which eschew the Intel chips of old for Apple’s own creations based on Arm designs - but which are so much more than the Arm CPU in your phone.
The M2 is an incremental improvement over the M1, but still manages to run without a fan, making it Apple’s smallest laptop. Not that you’ll notice there’s anything different - it’s just a lot quieter than the previous Intel models, especially when you work it hard.
Every app you could want, from web browsers to Microsoft Office to Photoshop, is available on Apple’s MacOS, and there are plenty of alternatives on the App Store too. Recent updates have strengthened the link between MacOS and the mobile iOS platform too, so iPhone users can pass web links back and forth, and use Continuity and Handoff to make the two devices work together. Sidecar even allows an iPad to be used as a second display for the Mac, and as a graphics tablet in conjunction with an Apple Pencil.
Apple laptops may look expensive, but they’re slender, powerful, and great to use, making them a definite best buy. The M1 version is also still available for a lower price.
Buy now £1119.00, AO
Apple MacBook Air Laptop: Apple M1 Chip, 13” Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage, Backlit Keyboard, FaceTime HD Camera, Touch ID
Was: £999
Buy now £879.00, Amazon
APPLE MacBook Air 13.6” (2022) - M2, 512 GB SSD, Space Grey
was £1,549
Buy now £1393.00, Currys
APPLE MacBook Pro 13.3” (2022) - M2, 512 GB SSD, Space Grey
was: £1,449
Buy now £1399.00, Currys
2022 Apple MacBook Air 13.6" Liquid Retina Display, M2 Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Space Grey, Space Grey
was: £1,169
Buy now £1109.00, John Lewis
Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS + Cellular), 45mm Silver Stainless Steel Case with Silver Milanese Loop
was: £829
Buy now £779.00, Very
Apple MagSafe Duo Charger
The MagSafe Duo Charger charges your AirPods and other Apple products. AirPods that are compatible with the MagSafe charger are AirPods Pro and AirPods 3rd Generation.
was: £129
Buy now £99.00, Amazon
APPLE Watch SE (2022) - Midnight with Midnight Sports Band, 40 mm
was: £259
Buy now £249.00, Currys
Apple Watch Ultra (GPS + Cellular), 49mm Titanium Case with Midnight Ocean Band
was: £849
Buy now £819.00, Very
Apple Watch Series 7 GPS, 41mm Green Aluminium Case with Clover Sport Band - Regular
was: £369
Buy now £319.00, John Lewis
New Apple AirTag, Bluetooth Item Finder and Key Finder (4 pack)
was: £119
Buy now £99.00, Amazon
Apple MagSafe Battery Pack (for iPhone 12-14)
was: £99
Buy now £79.00, Amazon
