Earlier this week, Apple teased its upcoming Black Friday promotion, which typically sees the company offering small discounts on a select number of products.
While Apple normally offers standard price cuts during Black Friday, this year’s event might focus on Apple Store gift cards with purchase rather than straight discounts, according to 9to5Mac. The promotion could see customers receiving an Apple Store gift card for later use when buying an eligible product.
Gift cards will likely be offered with the flagship products that Apple typically discounts, including iPads, iPods, MacBooks, and some accessories.
The gift card amounts are said to fluctuate based on the product. For example, gift cards that accompany accessories will have lower amounts of money than Macs. We’re hearing that accessories, such as the Dropcam, will likely include a gift card worth around $25, and Macs could include a $100 card. iOS Devices like the iPad will include a $50 Apple Store gift card. Some more expensive third-party products will also include $50 gift cards.
Apple is expected to announce its Black Friday deals on Friday, November 28 at midnight Pacific Time in the United States, but more information should be available tomorrow morning when Black Friday deals go live in Australia provided the gift card promotion isn't limited to the United States. Last year's discounts included $101 off MacBook Pros and Airs, $41 off the iPad with Retina Display, and $31 off of the iPod touch.
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles."
If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself.
Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update.
Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September.
Below, we recap the key...
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues.
We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
iPhone 17 ...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
Apple TV+ is currently available at a much lower price than usual, but time is running out if you want to take advantage of the offer.
In the U.S., new and qualified returning customers can subscribe to Apple TV+ for just $2.99 per month, for three months. Afterwards, regular pricing of $9.99 per month applies. The offer is available in the Apple TV app, and at tv.apple.com, through April...
Apple will never do big sales as such it would devalue the brand and likely see a huge portion of users only buy products on the single sale day of the year given the savings of 25%
I've never seen an Apple gift card that could be used toward hardware.
http://www.apple.com/gift-cards/
"Use your Apple Store Gift Card for the purchase of a new iPad, iPhone, Mac, or anything else at the Apple Online Store or Apple Retail Store. Gift cards are available in stores, by mail, or by email."
Instead of taking $100 off the price, savings which can be spent anywhere you want (including an Apple competitor), you'll instead get a gift card that can only be spent with Apple. Very clever way of still getting you to pay full price for a device and still have to do further business with Apple when using the gift card.
It's a brilliant strategy, really :D
My thoughts exactly. Thats why I give this idea a thumbs down, and I see it as yet another greedy move by a company that I'm having an increasingly hard time defending anymore. (Yes I used to drink the Kool-Aid, now I'm a recovering addict.) All those MBA's are thinking hard how they can separate us from more cash- and somebody got a big promotion for coming up with this idea. Apple will make millions more on that day because of it. Naturally, the consumer (yes, thats you and me) loses in the end.
Its like a 10 percent off deal, but you have to buy two. That's not as good as a 10 percent off deal on one item because you have to spend more money to get the deal.... lots of people don't really realize that.
Why not just give us a discount like almost all other companies will do on this big sales day? Is that really so hard?
Please don't act like Apple started this. Walmart and Target having been using this approach for years. Apple has only started doing this recently
I don't think he ever said that Apple invented the concept. But if you want something from Walmart or Target that's on sale tomorrow, you will receive that item for less money. No gift card requirement.
Wouldn't you rather just get something cheaper instead of paying more up front and getting handed a gift card for later?
You know, as a customer, you have the right to criticize ANY company if they are doing something that's not in your best interest. Even :apple:.
I've never seen an Apple gift card that could be used toward hardware.
I think you're confusing Apple gift card with iTunes gift card. It's true that an iTunes gift card can't be used for hardware (or any store merchandise), but an Apple gift card can be used for anything in the Apple Store.
