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Apple; Business Insider
Now that Black Friday has officially begun, our experts are rounding up discounts on countless products in our full guide to the best Black Friday deals. iPhone deals, however, are somewhat rare, and the best Black Friday iPhone deals resemble the deals you'd usually find year-round from cell carriers.
Currently, AT&T and Verizon are offering most iPhone 16 models for free or with considerable discounts. However, these carrier deals come with conditions, such as signing up for a specific plan and keeping the phone for at least 36 months.
Verizon has a trade-in offer that bundles an iPhone 16 model, iPad, and Apple Watch all for free with similar conditions. However, the catch with the Verizon bundle and a similar offer from AT&T is that they require separate data plans for the smartwatch and tablet. These bundles don't make sense for those who don't need data connectivity on their smartwatches and tablets. If you do, however, they're an excellent way to get a deal on those devices.
For most people, we recommend the iPhone 16 as the top iPhone to buy. It offers the best balance of performance, features, and value. Those who prioritize premium features, like Apple's 120Hz ProMotion display, the most powerful iPhone processor, and a 5x zoom lens, will appreciate the iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max.
For more details, check out our guide to the best iPhones, our iPhone 16 review, and our iPhone 16 Pro review.
Carrier conditions can be deal breakers if they require you to upgrade or sign up for an expensive eligible plan with more data or features you don't need. Carrier iPhone deal conditions only make sense if you were already going to sign up for the plan required by the deal.
With carrier deals, you're also trading flexibility for a free (or almost free) iPhone, as you need to keep the phone for three years while using than line with the eligible plan. If you prefer to switch iPhones every two years, carrier deals may not be for you.
Shopping for more discounts today? Check out our roundup of all of the best Black Friday deals.
