Black Friday in the United States is well underway, and many retailers are offering discounts on tons of smart home devices, both HomeKit-enabled and those without HomeKit support.
Almost every major store has discounts on products from companies like Google, Nest, Hue, and more, so we've rounded up some of the best smart home deals available this year below.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Make sure to check out our full Black Friday Roundup to find great deals on all of the best Apple products, accessories, and much more before the shopping event ends.
Apple refreshes the Apple Watch every year, and for the latest Series 5 models that were released in September, not many third-party retailers are offering discounts.
For older Apple Watch models, though, there are some significant deals that can be had if you don't mind missing out on the always-on display and the new compass app. Multiple retailers have deals on the Series 4 (now discontinued) and Apple's super cheap Series 3, which is still being manufactured.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple Watch Series 3
Walmart has the absolute lowest price on the Apple Watch Series 3, offering the 38mm model for $129, a $70 discount off of the standard $200 price tag. The 44mm model will be available for $159, down from the regular price of $229. However, stock already appears to be selling out at most Walmart stores.
Target is selling the Apple Watch Series 3starting at $170 for the 38mm, a $30 discount off of the regular price. The 42mm model will be priced at $200, also a $30 discount.
Best Buy is offering some small $10 discounts on the Apple Watch Series 3, but these aren't worth picking up if you can get one of the other, better deals.
Apple Watch Series 4
Best Buy is offering the Apple Watch Series 4 for $50 to $300 off depending on the model. 40 and 44mm aluminum models with standard sport bands are discounted by $50, while cellular models are discounted by $100.
Some stainless steel models are discounted by $300, dropping the price to $400 from $700, but these deals are not online and will need to be located in retail stores.
Apple Watch Series 5
Amazon is offering $20 off Apple Watch Series 5 (40mm and 44mm), with an additional $24 saved at checkout, providing the best overall sale on the newest Apple Watch models today.
Sprint does have some discounts on the new Apple Watch Series 5, if you're shopping for a cellular watch that you can add onto an existing smartphone plan. You can get 50 percent off any Apple Watch in this sale, Series 5 included. The discount will be delivered via monthly credits on a 24 month billing agreement, and you'll need one active handset already on the Sprint account.
Make sure to check out our full Black Friday Roundup to find great deals on all of the best Apple products, accessories, and much more before the shopping event ends.
Black Friday deals are kicking off, and many third-party retailers offer discounts on a range of headphones and speakers, including AirPods, HomePods, Beats, and more.
Below, we've rounded up some of the best deals that we've found on audio products of all kinds, from Apple's own devices to various third-party options.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
AirPods
Multiple retailers are offering discounts on the AirPods with Charging Case and with Wireless Charging Case. Walmart has the best deal on the standard AirPods with charging case (no wireless charging), selling them for $129, which is a discount of $30 off of the regular $159 price.
As for the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case, the best online deal is from Amazon. The site is discounting the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case to $155, which is a discount of $44. That matches the lowest price we've ever seen on the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case.
If you happen to live near a Meijer store, though, you can get an even better deal. Meijer is selling the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case for just $149, a $50 discount off of the regular $199 price. The Meijer deal is available in-store only.
There are a few other lesser deals on the AirPods that we're listing below in case any of the main deals sell out, but if you're in the market for AirPods, make sure to check out Walmart and B&H Photo first.
AirPods With Charging Case (Amazon) - $129 ($30 off)
AirPods With Charging Case (Best Buy) - $140 ($20 off)
AirPods With Charging Case (Target) - $145 ($15 off)
AirPods With Wireless Charging Case (Target) (Best Buy) - $165 ($35 off)
AirPods Pro
There are no retailers offering specific Black Friday sales on the brand new AirPods Pro as they were just introduced in October, but Amazon has been selling the earbuds at the discounted price of $235 for a few weeks now.
HomePod
Best Buy has the most significant savings on the HomePod, dropping the price from $300 to $200, a $100 discount.
Make sure to check out our full Black Friday Roundup to find great deals on all of the best Apple products, accessories, and much more before the shopping event ends.
Apple's iPads are a popular purchase choice during Black Friday because many of the major retailers offer up steep discounts on various models, including the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and the already super affordable 10.2-inch seventh-generation iPad.
Below, we've rounded up all of the best deals that we've found for the iPad so if you're looking to pick up a new tablet either for yourself or for a holiday gift, you're going to want to check out the list below.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
10.2-inch iPad
Even though the 10.2-inch iPad was just released in September 2019 and already has a low starting price of $329, multiple retailers are offering it even cheaper this year.
Target, Best Buy, Walmart, and Staples are all offering the 32GB Wi-Fi only 10.2-inch iPad for $250, which is an $80 discount and the lowest price that we've seen since launch.
$250 for the 10.2-inch iPad is a great deal, and this is the tablet that's ideal for most users. It features a larger display than prior entry-level models, it supports the Apple Pencil, and it even works with Apple's Smart Keyboard for the first time.
If you're looking for the higher-capacity 128GB model, the best price you're going to get is from Amazon. Amazon is offering the 128GB 10.2-inch iPad for $330, which is a discount of $100 off of the original $429 price tag.
iPad Pro
If you're a My Best Buy member (which is free), you can get select iPad Pro models for a discount of $150 to $200. According to Best Buy, pricing will start at $650, which is $150 off of the $799 price of the entry-level 11-inch 64GB WiFi-only iPad Pro.
Most other retailers aren't offering specific Black Friday discounts on the iPad Pro, but Amazon has some deals available:
If you're looking for an older, more affordable model with a lot of storage, Walmart is selling the 10.5-inch iPad Pro with 512GB of storage for $699, down from $999.
iPad Air
As with the iPad Pro, there are few Black Friday specific deals on the iPad Air because most retailers are focusing on discounting the 10.2-inch iPad. Amazon has some of the only discounts available.
Make sure to check out our full Black Friday Roundup to find great deals on all of the best Apple products, accessories, and much more before the shopping event ends.
Black Friday is upon us and that means many deals on iPhones, from straight-up discounts to trade-in and financing incentives. Below, we've rounded up some of the best offers available for iPhones in the United States.
Unfortunately, iPhone deals rarely come without strings attached, so be prepared to purchase a device on a carrier installment plan in most cases and make sure to read all of the fine print when signing up.
iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
Walmart is offering some of the best Black Friday deals on the latest iPhones this year, including a $300 Walmart eGift card towards future purchases with the activation of a new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max on a qualifying AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint device payment plan.
You can get up to an additional $250 on another Walmart eGift card with an in-store trade-in of a qualifying older iPhone in good condition, for a total of up to $550 in Walmart eGift cards for the latest iPhones.
Best Buy is offering savings of up to $500 on an iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro with qualified activation on Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint and in-store trade-in of an older iPhone. Depending on the value of the iPhone traded in, this deal lowers the total price of an iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max to $199, $499, or $599, respectively, with the cost divided into 24 monthly payments.
T-Mobile is offering up to $700 off the iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max, or the iPhone 11 for free, with the trade-in of an iPhone 7 or newer in good condition. The credit will be applied over a 24-month installment plan.
Verizon and Sprint are offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal on the iPhone 11, with $700 in bill credits applied over a 24-month installment plan with the purchase of two new iPhone 11 devices, each with an unlimited data plan. Verizon has a similar deal for the purchase of two iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max devices.
Older iPhones: XS, XS Max, XR, 8, and 8 Plus
Walmart is offering up to a $450 Walmart eGift card towards future purchases with the activation of a new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR on a qualifying AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint device payment plan.
You can get up to an additional $250 on another Walmart eGift card with an in-store trade-in of a qualifying older iPhone in good condition, for a total of up to $700 in Walmart eGift cards.
AT&T is offering the iPhone XR for free on a qualifying installment agreement, with the $600 price of the device divided into 30 monthly bill credits. You must add a line to a new or existing account, pay taxes on the $600 amount up front, activate an unlimited data plan for $75 per month or higher, and pay a $30 activation fee.
T-Mobile is offering up to $450 off the iPhone 8 Plus or the iPhone 8 for free with the trade-in of an iPhone 5 or newer in good condition. The credit will be applied over a 24-month installment plan.
Verizon is offering the iPhone 8 for $5 per month on a 24-month instalment plan. Activation of a new line is required. No trade-in required.
Apple's Black Friday Shopping Event
Apple is offering a $50 Apple Store gift card with the purchase of a SIM-free iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone XR from Black Friday until Cyber Monday. The deal does not apply to the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max, purchases via the iPhone Upgrade Program, refurbished iPhones, or carrier-locked iPhones.
The offer is available via Apple.com, by phone at 1-800-APPLE, and at Apple Stores in the United States. Gift card values vary in other participating countries.
More Black Friday Deals
Make sure to check out our full Black Friday roundup to find great deals on Macs, iPads, other Apple products, accessories, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple's four-day Black Friday shopping event is now live in the United States, offering customers free Apple Store gift cards worth up to $200 with the purchase of select new Apple products.
Gift card values in the United States:
$200 for 13-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, or iMac Pro
$100 for MacBook Air
$100 for iPad Pro
$100 for Beats Studio3 Wireless
$50 for SIM-free iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone XR
$50 for 10.5-inch iPad Air or iPad mini 5
$50 for HomePod
$50 for Beats Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats3 Wireless, or Powerbeats Pro
$25 for Apple Watch Series 3, regular AirPods, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HD
Apple is not offering gift cards for its latest products, including the 16-inch MacBook Pro, AirPods Pro, iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models, or Apple Watch Series 5 models, while the Mac mini, iPod touch, old Mac Pro, refurbished products, education-discounted products, and carrier-locked iPhones are also ineligible.
The offer is available via Apple.com and at Apple Stores in the United States through December 2, which is Cyber Monday, an increasingly popular online-focused shopping holiday that follows Black Friday.
The gift card promotion has also gone live in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and several countries in Europe.
Black Friday marks one of the few times in a year that Apple offers deals on its products, but as usual, better deals can be found elsewhere. Be sure to read our Black Friday roundup for the latest offers from third-party resellers on the latest iPhones and iPads, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, AirPods Pro, and more.
Amazon is offering an impressive deal on the 2019 MacBook Air, offering the base model for just $799 in the United States. That's the lowest price we've ever seen and $300 less than Apple's regular price of $1,099.
The notebook is listed at $899, but if you proceed to checkout and choose no-rush shipping, the price becomes $799.
This is the latest MacBook Air model with a True Tone display, released in July 2019.
The notebook features 8th-generation Intel Core processors, Touch ID, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, the Apple T2 chip with Hey Siri support, louder speakers, and more. Note that, unlike the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, the latest MacBook Air still has a butterfly keyboard that may experience issues with sticky or nonfunctioning keys.
The base model is configured with a 1.6GHz dual-core Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and Intel UHD Graphics 617.
Starting on Black Friday, a slightly better deal will be available at Micro Center stores for those who live near one of their 25 locations. They'll be offering the 2019 MacBook Air for just $779 for in-store pickup only, but quantities will be limited.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple's four-day Black Friday shopping event is now live in Australia and New Zealand, offering customers free Apple Store gift cards worth up to A$320 or NZ$320 with the purchase of select new Apple products.
The gift card amounts are as follows in Australia and New Zealand:
$320 for 13-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, or iMac Pro
$160 for MacBook Air
$160 for iPad Pro
$160 for Beats Studio3 Wireless
$80 for SIM-free iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone XR
$80 for 10.5-inch iPad Air or iPad mini 5
$80 for HomePod
$80 for Beats Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats3 Wireless, or Powerbeats Pro
$40 for Apple Watch Series 3, regular AirPods, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HD
Based on that, gift card amounts in the U.S. should be around the following:
$200 for 13-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, or iMac Pro
$100 for MacBook Air
$100 for iPad Pro
$100 for Beats Studio3 Wireless
$50 for SIM-free iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone XR
$50 for 10.5-inch iPad Air or iPad mini 5
$50 for HomePod
$50 for Beats Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats3 Wireless, or Powerbeats Pro
$25 for Apple Watch Series 3, regular AirPods, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HD
Apple is not offering gift cards for its latest products, including the 16-inch MacBook Pro, AirPods Pro, iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models, or Apple Watch Series 5 models, while the Mac mini, iPod touch, old Mac Pro, refurbished products, education-discounted products, and carrier-locked iPhones are also ineligible.
The offer is available via Apple.com in each country and at Apple Stores in Australia through December 2, which is Cyber Monday, an increasingly popular online-focused shopping holiday that follows Black Friday.
Apple will extend its Black Friday shopping event to the United States, Canada, and many European countries as the clock turns to Friday around the world. Last year, Apple offered gift cards worth up to $200 in the United States.
Black Friday marks one of the few times in a year that Apple offers deals on its products, but as usual, better deals can be found elsewhere. Be sure to read our Black Friday roundup for the latest offers from third-party resellers on the latest iPhones and iPads, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, AirPods Pro, and more.
Apple today removed Jony Ive from its leadership page on its website, suggesting that he has officially departed the company after nearly three decades. The change was spotted by French blog MacGeneration.
Jony Ive portrait by Brian Bowen Smith
Ive led Apple's design team since 1996. Promoted to Chief Design Officer in 2015, he had been responsible for all design at Apple, including the look and feel of Apple products like the iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch, packaging, and major architectural projects such as Apple Park and Apple Stores.
In June, Apple announced that Ive would depart the company as an employee later this year to form an independent design company named LoveFrom with his designer friend Marc Newson. Apple said it will remain one of Ive's primary clients.
"Jony is a singular figure in the design world and his role in Apple's revival cannot be overstated, from 1998's groundbreaking iMac to the iPhone and the unprecedented ambition of Apple Park, where recently he has been putting so much of his energy and care," said Apple CEO Tim Cook in June.
Apple said its operations chief Jeff Williams will "spend more of his time" working with the company's design team in their studio. Evans Hankey and Alan Dye, vice presidents of Industrial Design and Human Interface design at Apple, respectively, will now report to Williams as part of the transition.
Ahead of World AIDS Day, which takes place on December 1, Apple has begun turning the Apple Store logos of many of its retail locations red. Apple's red logos are an annual tradition and mark one of the few times a year that Apple changes its logo colors.
Photos of Apple Store locations with red logos have begun popping up on Twitter and Instagram, and by the time December 1 rolls around on Sunday, Apple's stores worldwide will be temporarily featuring the new design.
Apple will be promoting World AIDS Day in its retail locations over the course of the next week. From November 25 to December 2, Apple will donate $1 to (RED) for every purchase made with Apple Pay on Apple.com, the Apple Store app, and Apple retail stores, up to a total of $1 million.
(RED) has been a longtime Apple partner charity, and since 2006, Apple has raised more than $220 million through promotions like this and the sale of (RED)-branded products and accessories. Funds raised by (RED) go towards HIV/AIDS programs in Africa as part of The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
In 2007, Apple launched the original iPhone, kickstarting the modern smartphone era which is now dominated by iPhone and Android devices. We've had 18 generations of iPhones so far, with the latest models, the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, introduced in September 2024. Apple follows an annual update cycle, introducing new flagship models while discounting prior-year models and selling them at more affordable price points.
iPhone vs Android
Over the years, Android and iPhone smartphones have evolved to the point where feature-wise, they're similar in function and capability. Android smartphones are made by multiple manufacturers, but the core operating system is provided by Google, which leads to a wider variety of phones and price points to choose from, but weaker integration between software and hardware.
Apple's control of both the iPhone and the operating system (iOS) provides a more consistent experience along with ongoing support. With iOS 18, Apple supports all iPhones that were introduced in the last four years, so the majority of active iPhone owners can and do upgrade to the newest version of iOS that Apple rolls out each year.
Android updates are often more inconsistent and often don't make it to all Android-based smartphones because each manufacturer has to implement support on an individual basis. So while Google also does yearly Android updates, the reality is that a lot of older Android smartphones don't get the new software.
With Apple's control and curation of the iPhone experience, the iPhone is largely considered to be the more secure platform, and Apple has made it a point to focus heavily on privacy. Apple's iOS is less customizable than Android, though, so for individuals who prefer flexibility and customization options, the Android operating system may be worth looking at.
How Do iPhone Updates Work?
Here are the basics you should know about how Apple updates the iPhone and the iOS operating system.
Each fall, typically in September, Apple releases a new series of flagship smartphones. These often come at high prices and feature the latest technologies, with Apple offering high-end models and still high-end but more affordable models. Prior-year iPhones often stick around with lower price points as cheaper alternatives to the latest and greatest technology, and occasionally, Apple launches an iPhone like the low-cost iPhone SE outside of the normal fall timeline.
At the current time, Apple's iPhone lineup includes the iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 14 (2022), iPhone 14 Plus (2022), iPhone 15 (2023), iPhone 15 Plus (2023), iPhone 16 (2024), iPhone 16 Plus (2024), iPhone 16 Pro (2024), and iPhone 16 Pro Max (2024).
Apple also debuts an updated version of iOS at the same time that new iPhones launch, but new versions of iOS are pre-introduced every year at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference to give developers time to incorporate new features and technologies into their apps ahead of when the software becomes available to the public. The current iPhones run iOS 18.
In this guide, we go over all of the iPhones that are in the current Apple lineup, offer up some buying suggestions, and provide tips and resources for both new and existing iPhone owners.
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max ($999+)
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are Apple's current high-end flagship devices with all of the top-of-the-line features and the most bells and whistles. The Pro models are for those who want to get the most out of their iPhones with the latest feature set.
Pricing on the iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999, while pricing on the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199. The two iPhones are nearly identical when it comes to feature set, and it's only display size and battery capacity that set the two devices apart.
Apple introduced larger screen sizes and slimmed down bezels for the Pro lineup in 2024, so the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a larger 6.9-inch display (up from 6.7 inches), and the iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3 inch display (up from 6.1 inches). Both models feature the same design with a glass front and back, a lightweight but durable titanium frame, and squircle edges. Colors this year include natural titanium, white titanium, black titanium, and desert titanium, which is a shade of gold.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max feature edge-to-edge OLED displays with the slimmest bezels we've seen in an iPhone to date. There's a second-generation "Ceramic Shield" that offers superior scratch resistance, and a pill-shaped Dynamic Island continues to house the front-facing camera and hardware used for Face ID authentication.
The customizable Action button is still available, and it now does more thanks to Control Center integration. This year, Apple also added a Camera Control button that can be used to activate the camera with a press. Camera Control makes it quicker to capture photos and videos, and it is also pressure and touch sensitive so you can change controls and adjust settings without touching the screen.
The Dynamic Island has been incorporated into the iPhone's interface and it is able to show various notifications and app information for phone calls, timers, Face ID, Bluetooth connections, and more.
Apple added a new A18 Pro chip to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, with a 6-core CPU, a 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. It is up to 20 percent faster than the A17 Pro from the iPhone 15 Pro models, and it is the fastest iPhone for Apple Intelligence.
There continues to be a three-lens camera setup with a 48-megapixel Main camera that offers improved low-light performance, a 12-megapixel 5x Telephoto lens, and a new 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera. The 5x Telephoto is available for both Pro models, which is new this year, and the 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera takes improved wide-angle and macro shots when lighting is poor.
Crash Detection is able to determine if you've been in a serious car accident, alerting emergency services, and there's also an Emergency SOS via satellite feature for getting help if you're out of range of Wi-Fi and cellular. With iOS 18, the satellite connectivity can be used to send messages too.
Both iPhone 16 Pro models offer improvements to battery life, and they have a USB-C port and support for up to 25W MagSafe charging.
Other features include IP68 water resistance, 8GB RAM, ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate for the display, faster 5G, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, faster USB-C charging, and Wi-Fi 7.
Key Features:
Highest end, highest price
Triple-lens camera: Main (Wide), Ultra Wide, and Telephoto (5x for the Max)
48-megapixel Main lens with ProRAW support
48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens with macro capability
Camera Control button
A18 Pro chip
Action button
Always-On Display
Titanium frame
Bottom Line: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are the iPhones to choose if you want the absolute best camera capabilities that you can get in an iPhone, with the Pro Max being the top-of-the-line model due to its increased display size, and longer battery life. In terms of performance, there isn't much of a difference between the iPhone 16 Pro models and the standard iPhone 16 models, with screen size, display quality, and chassis material differentiating the two iPhone lines.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus ($799+)
Sold alongside the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are Apple's more affordable flagship devices. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus feature many of the same capabilities as the Pro models, but they are missing some of the higher-end features to keep the price lower. The 6.1-inch iPhone 16 is priced starting at $799, while the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus is priced starting at $899.
Despite the difference in screen size, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are essentially identical, featuring a flat-edged design with a glass body and an aluminum frame. They do not offer ProMotion display technology and thus do not support an always-on display, but they do have the same Dynamic Island, front-facing camera, and Face ID authentication functionality.
Apple brought the Action button to the iPhone 16 lineup this year, so that is no longer a Pro-only feature. The Action button replaces the Ring/Silent switch, and it is customizable, so you can set it to bring up whatever is most convenient for you. It can mute/unmute your iPhone, activate the flashlight, open a favorite app, activate a Control Center control, turn on a Focus mode, and more.
Like the iPhone 16 Pro models, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have a new Camera Control button below the power button. Pressing the button activates the camera, and a double press snaps a photo, so it makes it much quicker to get the shot that you want. The button is capacitive and pressure sensitive, so it can be used for changing various camera settings and swapping between tools. It works much like a DSLR shutter for autofocus with a half press, and you can adjust exposure, style, zoom, aperture, and more without ever touching the iPhone's display.
While the iPhone 16 Pro models have an A18 Pro chip, the iPhone 16 models have an almost-as-capable A18 chip that also works with Apple Intelligence. The A18 has the same 6-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine, but it has a 5-core GPU instead of a 6-core GPU. The chip is built using the same 3-nanometer technology, and it enables support for ray tracing and console-quality games, a feature that was previously limited to the Pro models. Battery life has improved compared to the prior iPhone 15 models thanks to the new chip technology.
There is a dual camera system that features 12-megapixel Ultra Wide and 48-megapixel Fusion (Wide) lenses with no Telephoto lens. The primary camera can be cropped in to a 2x zoom, so 0.5, 1x, and 2x options are supported. Some of the same photography and videography capabilities that are in the Pro models are also in the standard iPhone 16 models, including the new Photographic Styles for customizing your images and Audio Mix for adjusting the sound in your videos, plus support for shooting spatial videos and images.
Capturing video in 4K at 120 frames per second is a Pro-only feature, as is support for shooting in ProRAW and ProRes, so if those are capabilities you need, you'll want to look at the Pro models.
The iPhone 16 models have support for mmWave (U.S. only) and Sub-6GHz 5G, and they also have a USB-C port and offer MagSafe charging at up to 25W, a new, faster speed this year. Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and Messages via satellite are available as well. Compared to the Pro models, the standard models lack the titanium chassis, the Telephoto camera lens, and the A18 Pro chip.
Key Features:
Dual-lens camera: Fusion (Wide), Ultra Wide
Crash Detection
USB-C port
Action button
Camera Control
A18 chip
Bottom Line:The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus offer many of the same features as the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max at a more affordable price, and these are the iPhones that we recommend for most people. The differences are limited primarily to the camera and the display, and may not be of interest for those who are not heavily invested in iPhone photography, making the $200+ savings worth it for most. Older iPhones are another option to save money, but be aware that only the four iPhone 16 models and the prior-generation iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max support Apple Intelligence.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus ($699+)
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are Apple's prior-generation flagship devices that are now being sold at a discount. They have older technology and are lacking some of the new features that Apple introduced with the iPhone 16 models, including the Camera Control button, the faster A-series chip, the Action button, and, most importantly, support for Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus cannot run the new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18, so only consider Apple's prior-generation iPhones if that is not important to you.
The iPhone 15 models don't look notably different from the iPhone 16 models, except for the color options. Apple did not make major design changes, but the iPhone 15 models do not have a Camera Control button and they have a Ring/Silent switch instead of an Action button. There's also a diagonal rear camera setup that does not offer some of the newer camera capabilities like Photographic Styles for customizing the look of your images or Audio Mix for tweaking the sound in your videos.
While the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus don't support some of the newer software-based camera features, the hardware is largely the same. There's a Main (Wide) lens that supports 1x and 2x zoom, and an Ultra Wide lens. There is no dedicated Telephoto lens.
The iPhone 15 measures in at 6.1 inches, while the iPhone 15 Plus is 6.7 inches. The two devices are essentially identical, with a Dynamic Island for Face ID, aluminum frames, and OLED screen technology. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus have an older A16 chip that is two generations behind the newer chips in the current flagship models.
The iPhone 15 models have support for mmWave (U.S. only) and Sub-6GHz 5G and use the X70 Qualcomm chip, one generation behind the Qualcomm chip in the new iPhones. Battery life is a little shorter, but the iPhone 15 models do support MagSafe and USB-C. There is no support for the faster 25W MagSafe charging, though, with the iPhone 15 models limited to 15W MagSafe charging.
Between the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, the features are identical with the exception of screen size and battery, as the iPhone 15 Plus can accommodate a larger battery size.
Key Features:
Diagonal dual-lens camera: Main (Wide), Ultra Wide
Crash Detection
USB-C port
Dynamic Island
5G support
A16 chip
Bottom Line:The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are solid devices that will perform well at an affordable price, but keep in mind that the iPhone 16 is such a notable upgrade that it may be worth paying $100 more for the iPhone 16 this year. The iPhone 15 models do not have an Action button or a Camera Control button, and they cannot run the Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18, so you'd be missing out on the more capable Siri, customizable emoji, Writing Tools, and other Apple Intelligence functions. A prior-generation iPhone is usually a good way to save money, but this year, we don't recommend it.
iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus ($599+)
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are Apple's 2022 flagship devices, two years older than the iPhone 16 models. Apple still sells the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus a low-cost options that are even more affordable than the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
The iPhone 14 features a 6.1-inch display while the iPhone 14 Plus features a 6.7-inch display, and they are essentially identical in size and design to their iPhone 15 counterparts. They feature a glass body and aluminum frame, along with a notch rather than a Dynamic Island at the front for the front-facing camera hardware.
The models include a Lightning port rather than USB-C, and they have a older-generation A15 chip that is three years behind the A18 chip in the iPhone 16 models. The dual-camera system has an Ultra Wide and Main (Wide) lens, but the Wide lens is 12 megapixels rather than 48, which Apple upgraded to in 2023.
The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus do support Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite.
Key Features:
Diagonal dual-lens camera: Main (Wide), Ultra Wide
Crash Detection
Emergency SOS via satellite
5G support
A15 chip
Bottom Line:The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are prior-generation iPhones that are two years old. They do not have some of the more advanced features available with the iPhone 16, including the Dynamic Island, USB-C port, 48-megapixel camera, and support for Apple Intelligence. If those features are unimportant to you, you can save some money by opting for the iPhone 14 or 14 Plus, but we do not recommend it because of the older-generation port that Apple is phasing out.
iPhone SE 2022 ($429+)
Introduced in March 2022, the iPhone SE is Apple's most affordable iPhone, and it replaced the 2020 iPhone SE.
Priced starting at $429, the iPhone SE is identical in design to an iPhone 8 with a 4.7-inch LCD display and thick bezels at the top and bottom of the device housing the Home button at the bottom and the front-facing camera, and speaker at the top.
The iPhone SE is now the sole iPhone that Apple sells with Touch ID, which makes it ideal for those who prefer a fingerprint sensor to Face ID. With the discontinuation of the "mini" iPhone models in recent generations, the iPhone SE is once again the smallest iPhone available.
The iPhone SE has a glass front and back with an aluminum frame, and it supports wireless charging. Inside, it is equipped with the same 4-core A15 Bionic processor that was first used in the iPhone 13.
The A15 chip is three years old now, and the iPhone SE uses lower-cost components than the flagship models. It is missing the bells and whistles of Apple's more expensive smartphones such as multi-lens camera setups, OLED all-screen displays, and Face ID.
Key Features:
Touch ID
A15 chip
Low price
Bottom Line:The iPhone SE is the phone to get if you prefer Touch ID, if you're looking for a smaller device, or if want Apple's most affordable option. At $429 with an A15 chip, it's a solid deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
There's no one single iPhone that's best for everyone, and picking the right smartphone needs to take into account factors like budget, desired battery life, preferred feature set, and more.
If, for example, you're not a fan of Face ID and want to use Touch ID, you're going to want to choose the iPhone SE. If you want the absolute best photographic capabilities, you're going to want the iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max, and if you want something that has a solid feature set at a great price, the iPhone 16 is what you'll want to look at.
Below, we've outlined some of the best iPhone choices based on different scenarios or features that you might be looking for.
Which iPhone Has the Best Battery Life?
With the efficient A18 Pro chip, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the longest battery life for any iPhone to date at up to 33 hours when watching videos. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Plus are second and will last up to 27 hours when watching videos.
Which iPhone Has the Best Camera?
With their updated triple-lens camera systems, 48-megapixel Fusion lens, 5x Telephoto lens, 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens, and LiDAR Scanners, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have the best iPhone cameras that you can get. Both of the new iPhones include a three-lens camera system with the same feature set. This year, the Ultra Wide lens has been upgraded to 48 megapixels, allowing for more detailed wide-angle and macro shots.
The Fusion lens supports 24-megapixel and 48-megapixel high-resolution photos through the Photonic Engine, and the Ultra Wide lens supports 12-megapixel images that have the detail from the combined pixels of the 48-megapixel resolution. Using computational photography, the Fusion camera can be set to 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm focal lengths to better mirror what's possible with DSLRs.
All four iPhone 16 models have a new Camera Control button that makes it easier to capture a photo or a video with just a couple of button presses, and the Camera Control button is also capacitive and pressure sensitive so it can be used for changing photography modes and adjusting settings, which makes your iPhone feel more like a camera.
Which iPhone Has Touch ID?
If you want an iPhone with Touch ID, your only option is the 2022 iPhone SE. Apple stopped using Touch ID for its flagship iPhones in 2017, and the 2018 through 2024 flagship iPhone lineups have not included an updated Touch ID iPhone.
The iPhone SE features Touch ID rather than Face ID to keep the device ultra-affordable, which is great for those who prefer using a fingerprint sensor over facial recognition.
Note that we do expect Apple to refresh the iPhone SE in 2025, but the new iPhone SE is not expected to have Touch ID. It will use Face ID, according to rumors, so Touch ID is at the end of its life for the iPhone.
Which iPhone is Best For One-Handed Use?
You have two options when it comes to size: 4.7 inches and 6.1 inches, with no in between. The 4.7-inch iPhone SE is Apple's smallest iPhone and it is ideal for one-handed use, but it lacks many of the upgraded features available with the flagship iPhone lineup. Apple's next smallest phone is the iPhone 14/15/16 at 6.1 inches, as the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini was discontinued back in 2023.
Which iPhone is the Best Value?
If you want a modern iPhone with the latest chip, Apple Intelligence support, solid camera features, OLED display, and 5G connectivity, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are the best values at $799 and $899, respectively. They offer an impressive feature set at their price points, with the iPhone 16 being the best deal. These are the iPhones that we recommend for most people.
If you don't need the latest bells and whistles and don't mind losing out on a bit of performance and battery life, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, which are $100 cheaper than than their iPhone 16 counterparts, could be worth considering.
If you want the absolute best price and don't mind bezels, Touch ID, and an inferior camera, the iPhone SE with its A15 chip continues to be an amazing deal at $429.
For many people, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are the iPhones to get this year with their lower price point and modern feature set, and older iPhones won't support current or future Apple Intelligence features that require more powerful chips.
Which iPhone Has the Most Features?
If you want the iPhone with the most bells and whistles, that's the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. These iPhones offer OLED displays, triple-lens cameras, glass bodies with titanium steel frames, larger maximum storage capacities, and longer battery life.
Compared to the iPhone 16 models, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have better camera capabilities. The absolute best would be the iPhone 16 Pro Max because of its larger display and bigger battery.
In More Detail
Still not sure? We have deeper dives comparing the iPhone 16 models to each other and to the prior-generation iPhone models, and the standard iPhone 16 to the Pro.
Apple is working on new iPhone 17 models that will come out in the fall of 2025. This lineup will do away with the "Plus" iPhone, with Apple instead planning to release an "Air" or "Slim" model that is thinner and more expensive. It will be sold alongside the standard iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. For more information, check out our roundup:
Following a recent Bloomberg report claiming that the new AirPods Pro are experiencing "much higher" than expected demand, the Nikkei Asian Review reports that Apple has asked its supplier Luxshare Precision to double production of the high-end earphones to two million units per month.
The report adds that Apple has also asked Luxshare and fellow Chinese manufacturer Goertek to boost production of the regular AirPods at their Vietnam-based factories, although it is unclear by how much..
AirPods Pro are currently estimated for delivery around December 31 through Apple's online store in the United States, so orders placed today are not guaranteed to arrive in time for Christmas. However, authorized resellers such as Amazon, Best Buy, AT&T, and T-Mobile still quote delivery within the first week of December.
AirPods are considered to be the world's best selling truly wireless earphones, with surging popularity since their release in late 2016. Together with the Apple Watch, the earphones have been a driving force behind growth in Apple's wearables category, which recently set new fourth quarter revenue records worldwide.
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B&H Photo is offering $200 discounts on the two main configurations of Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro. Sale prices start at $2,199.00 for the 512GB model and rise to $2,599.00 for the 1TB model.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
To date these are some of the lowest prices that we've tracked on the brand-new 16-inch MacBook Pro, either beating or matching previous sales offered at Expercom, Amazon, Best Buy, and Adorama.
Besides the main configurations, B&H Photo is also discounting a few custom configurations with upgraded RAM and different processors. You can see the full list of 16-inch MacBook Pros on sale at B&H Photo right here.
For more holiday shopping, head to our Deals Roundup to browse the latest Apple-related sales, and then visit our Black Friday Roundup to prepare for all of the deepest discounts coming on Friday.
Update: In its Apple Store app, Apple has confirmed that its new Eaton Centre location opens Saturday, December 14 at 9:00 a.m. local time.
Original story follows.
The construction barriers covering an all-new Apple Store are nearly ready to come down at North America's busiest shopping mall.
Apple is set to open an over 10,000-square-foot store at the Eaton Centre in Toronto, Canada as early as December, according to a source, who said the grand opening will likely occur within the first half of the month.
Apple's existing store at the Eaton Centre
Unlike other Apple Stores, Today at Apple sessions at the existing Apple Eaton Centre location abruptly end after Friday, December 6, suggesting that the new store could open on Saturday, December 7. However, our source believes that employee training could push back the opening until Saturday, December 14.
MacRumors was first to report on Apple's plans for a new store at the Eaton Centre back in January, when Apple filed a building permit for a new street-level store near the Queen Street entrance to the mall. The new store will take over a space recently vacated by apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch.
Apple's new store will be more than twice as large as the current 4,977-square-foot store, according to an Eaton Centre floor plan. The extra space is much needed, as not only is the Eaton Centre the busiest shopping mall in North America, but it is home to Apple's only store in Toronto's downtown core.
Apple has three other stores in Toronto at Yorkdale, Sherway Gardens, and Fairview, all within shopping malls. Rumors suggest Apple plans to open its first street-facing store at The One, an upcoming condominium and retail complex slated to open by 2022 at the busy intersection of Yonge and Bloor in Toronto.
Apple plans to release 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch iPhones with thinner OLED displays in 2020, according to Korea's ETNews.
The report claims the so-called iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models will adopt a Samsung technology called Y-OCTA that allows touchscreen circuitry to be directly patterned on the OLED panel without the need for a separate layer, resulting in a thinner display and lower production costs.
It's unclear if the thinner display technology would translate to overall thinner iPhones next year. Notably, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are actually slightly thicker and heavier than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, respectively, as Apple added larger batteries in this year's devices.
Samsung will supply Y-OCTA displays to Apple for both the 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch iPhones, while the lower-cost 6.1-inch model will stick with traditional film-based displays supplied by both Samsung and LG, the report adds. Chinese display maker BOE may be out of the running as a supplier for 2020 iPhones.
Multiple reports have claimed that Apple eventually plans to release an iPhone with both Face ID and under-screen Touch ID, although it is unclear if the device will arrive in 2020 or 2021. The under-screen Touch ID would potentially allow users to authenticate by holding a finger anywhere on the display.
Apple just released the AirPods Proin late October, but there are already a bunch of knockoffs and replicas on the market to appeal to those who might not be able to afford the $250 asking price of the AirPods Pro.
We picked up the $95 i500 Pro TWS Earbuds, a set of AirPods Pro replicas that are remarkably similar in design to Apple's real AirPods Pro and that even advertise some of the same features, like Apple's proprietary H1 chip. In the photos and videos below, the real AirPods are on the left.
Price wise, these fakes are $95, which is almost half the price of the AirPods Pro. That's super expensive for a knockoff, so before reading on, know that we do not recommend purchasing these fakes or any fake AirPods Pro models because you're never going to get the feature set, sound quality, and build quality that you get from Apple's own earbuds.
When it comes to design, the Air i500 Pro TWS look identical to the AirPods Pro. The earbuds themselves are similar to the AirPods Pro with almost no design deviations, and there's even a matching Wireless Charging Case that wirelessly charges the case itself and the fake AirPods inside.
Just looking at the Air i500 Pro TWS next to AirPods, you're probably not going to be able to tell the difference between the two. There are some minor design discrepancies so they're not totally identical, but if you're not inspecting them up close side by side, it's tough to tell. The Air i500 Pro earbuds do feel lighter and the lid feels a bit different in use, but again, most people might not notice.
On the website, the fake earbuds claim to have a Qualcomm chip and Apple's proprietary H1 chip that allows for quick swapping between devices, simple setup, "Hey Siri" functionality, and more, and these features do appear to work. We don't know if it's a copy of the H1 chip and there are rumors floating around that the company is using spoofed MAC addresses, but functionally, these have some of the AirPods Pro tech on the surface.
Connecting is similar to AirPods Pro in that you just need to open the case and then hold down a button on the back, and when connecting, a battery level indicator pops up on the iPhone just like the real thing. Battery levels are even displayed inside of the battery widget in the Today portion of the notification interface.
Wireless charging works, "Hey Siri" is functional, music playback pauses when an earbud is taken out of the ear, and battery life seems to be similar to real AirPods Pro, but the similarities end there. The i500 Pro TWS has no force sensor and does not support squeeze gestures, and the key AirPods Pro feature - active noise cancellation - is not included.
There are zero noise cancellation features and there's no Transparency mode either, though there is a decent seal within the ear. Sound quality isn't terrible, but it doesn't measure up to the AirPods Pro or the standard AirPods. There's little bass and too much treble, and the sound is not as crisp and clear as the sound from the actual AirPods.
Superficially, the Air i500 Pro TWS look like the AirPods Pro, but functionally, these have none of the "Pro" features that make the AirPods Pro a worthwhile purchase. We don't recommend spending $95 on a knockoff version of the AirPods, but these earbuds do provide an interesting look at how far companies will go to make fake Apple products.
Apple is once again offering a promotion that provides a 10 percent cash bonus when adding funds directly to an Apple ID account in the United States and other countries from a linked credit or debit card.
Apple is offering the 10 percent bonus for fund additions between $1 and $200, with the maximum bonus credit topping out at $20.
The credit can be used for purchasing iTunes movies and TV shows, buying apps, paying app subscription fees, buying books, paying for iCloud storage, paying for Apple Music, paying for Apple Arcade, and more.
Apple kicked off this promotion earlier in November, and it will be available through December 12, 2019. It's a good way to get a bit of an extra bonus for App Store credit, and this week's Black Friday app deals can ensure that your money goes even further.
Apple last week debuted new Smart Battery Cases designed for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, with each case adding 50 percent additional battery life to its respective iPhone.
Noted repair site iFixit and Creative Electron today did an x-ray teardown of the new battery cases to take a quick glimpse at what's inside and how the near camera button feature works.
Compared to last year's battery cases, the new cases have a camera button on the right side that's designed to open the camera when it's pressed. With the Camera app open, pressing the button takes a photo, and holding it down takes a QuickTake video.
According to iFixit's x-rays, the camera button works though a little circuit board in the case, which has a thin, flexible circuit that runs to the photo button. The circuit board is designed to connect to the camera button through the Lightning port at the bottom of the case.
The button is designed to be just a bit recessed to prevent it from activating in a pocket or a bag, and you do need to hold it down for just a bit to open the camera app to begin with. All in all, it's a useful little feature that adds some nice utility to the Smart Battery Case.
There's little else of interest in the x-ray, but the inductive charging coil is visible, as is the 10.9v battery and other internal circuitry that makes the case functional.
For more on Apple's Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, make sure to check out our guide.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
