Black Friday Preview: Get Ready for the Best Deals on HomePod, iPad, Hue Lights, Audio Accessories, and More

We're now one week away from Black Friday holiday shopping, which will take place on Friday, November 23. Of course Black Friday isn't just one day any more, and sales have already kicked off today at numerous online and physical retailers. To help plan and organize your shopping, we've created this overview of the best deals you can expect to find while you're out and about next Friday, as well as the ones you can get online with a bit less hassle.

As you read, remember that most of these deals are not yet live, and you can find the specific opening times for each store in our full Black Friday Roundup.

Apple

Although Apple itself doesn't offer great Black Friday discounts, Apple devices and accessories will see many discounts this Black Friday.

black friday 1116 imageNote: 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.

iPhone
If you're on the hunt for an iPhone, Walmart will offer a $400 Walmart gift card when you buy the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or X; and a $300 Walmart gift card when you buy the iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR. All iPhones must be purchased on qualifying AT&T Next, Sprint, or Verizon device payment plans, and this offer is valid in Walmart's retail stores only.

At T-Mobile, you'll be able to get the iPhone XR at no cost if you add the smartphone onto an existing line and trade in an eligible device towards the XR.

Those shopping for older model iPhones should keep an eye on Best Buy's iPhone 6s deal, which will discount the 2015 smartphone to $199.99 on both Simple Mobile and Total Wireless. At Walmart, you'll be able to buy the iPhone SE for just $79.00 on Walmart Family Mobile plans. Meijer will match this offer for the 32GB iPhone SE on Simple Mobile.

iPad
Target and Best Buy will discount the 128GB iPad mini 4 to $249.99 this Black Friday, savings of $150 from its regular price of $399.99.

2018 9
Another popular iPad discount is for the sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPad (32GB) from earlier this year (with Apple Pencil support), which will be available for $249.99, down from $329.99 at Target, Walmart, Costco, and Jet. If you want the same iPad with a little bit more storage, check out Best Buy's Black Friday discount on the 128GB 9.7-inch iPad, available for $329.99, down from $429.99.

For the brand new iPads, MacMall has already kicked off a sale today, offering the 11-inch iPad Pro (64GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular) for $899.00, down from $949.00; and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (64GB, Wi-Fi) for $949.00, down from $999.00. Otherwise, we haven't seen any indication of other discounts on the latest iPad Pros on Black Friday.

Apple Watch
Target and Macy's have the best deal for Apple Watch Series 3 this year, with the GPS models starting at $199.99 for the 38mm Aluminum version, down from $279.99. 42mm models will run for $229.99.

If you prefer GPS + Cellular, both retailers will also offer savings on the upgraded Series 3 models, starting at $299.99 for the 38mm models and $329.99 for the 42mm models.

apple watch series 3 trio
Best Buy has an inferior deal of only $50 off Apple Watch Series 3 instead of $80, but it will have 25 percent off select Apple Watch bands, which should provide a great combo deal if you buy a new Apple Watch elsewhere.

Also of note for Meijer shoppers, if you buy one Apple Watch Series 3 for $279.00 (full price for the 38mm Aluminum) or more, you'll get one Meijer coupon worth $100 to put towards your next purchase (expiring December 24, 2018). While not a straight discount, frequent Meijer shoppers may find a preference for the in-store credit.

Mac
Best Buy has a few notable MacBook sales, starting with the 2017 MacBook Pro (8GB RAM, 128GB HD) at $1,149.99, down from $1,299.99. One of the best deals in this sale is for the MacBook Pro (16GB RAM, 256GB HD) at $2,149.99, down from $2,399.99.

2017 macbook pro sales
The MacBook Air (2017, 8GB RAM, 128GB HD) will be on sale for $799.99, down from $999.99. Lastly, the 21.5-inch iMac (2017, 8GB RAM, 1TB HD) will be marked down to $899.99 from $1,099.99.

MacMall has the new 13-inch MacBook Air (1.6 GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) for $1,149.00, down from $1,199.00, and the Mac mini (3.6GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) for $764.00, down from $799.00. These sales are already live.

HomePod

homepod and itunes gift cards
The best deal on Apple's smart speaker this Black Friday -- not to mention of all time -- will be at Best Buy. You'll be able to pick up Apple's HomePod for $249.99, down from $349.99.

AirPods
In one of the only Black Friday discounts known so far on Apple's AirPods, Newegg will have the wireless headphones for $139.99, down from $159.99, with the promo code BFAD155.

App Store and iTunes Gift Cards

Smart Home

Philips Hue lights are being discounted at a few places this Black Friday, with Amazon marking down various Hue accessories by as much as 40 percent. If you're willing to shop early, Best Buy has the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit on sale right now for $119.99, down from $189.99. This is a great low entry price to start installing smart lights in your home, but the sale is part of Best Buy's "Beat the Rush" event, which ends tomorrow, November 17 at 11:59 p.m. CT.

philips hue black friday
One of the most consistent deals throughout Black Friday this year is for the new Google Home Hub, which is being marked down to $99.99 from $149.99 at Best Buy, Walmart, Belk, Meijer, Jet, and numerous others. At Belk, you will be able to grab a Google Home Mini for $25.00, down from $49.00, and Costco will have a three pack of the miniature smart speakers for $69.99, down from $99.99.

nest black friday
Another popular sale this year is for two Nest devices: the Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen) for $179.99, down from $249.99; and the Nest Indoor Cam for $129.99, down from $199.99. You'll be able to find both of these sales at Belk, Meijer, Lowe's, Newegg, and the Nest Learning Thermostat discount will be at Kohl's. At Dell, Kohl's, and Lowe's you'll find the Nest Hello Doorbell for $179.99, down from $229.99; and Lowe's will have the Nest Outdoor Cam for $149.99, down from $199.00.

Other sales:

Audio

Shoppers looking for new headphones and smart speakers should find plenty of bargains this Black Friday, starting with the BeatsX down to just $75.00 at Walmart, from $109.00.

beats w1 headphones
One of the better shopping options for the Beats Studio 3 Wireless Headphones is at Kohl's where it will be priced at $279.99, down from $349.99. While not an all-time-low discount, $75 in Kohl's cash with the purchase is a great bonus for Kohl's shoppers. Similarly, Kohl's has the Powerbeats 3 Wireless Headphones for $149.99, down from $199.99, and $45 in Kohl's cash as a bonus with the purchase.

If you'd prefer straight discounts, Best Buy will have the Powerbeats 3 for $99.99, and Target plans to discount the Beats Solo 3 Wireless Neighborhood Collection to $179.99, down from $299.99.

sonos one
For speakers, you'll find the Sonos One for $174.99, down from $199.99 at Best Buy and at $174.00 on Sonos.com.

The UE Megaboom will be $99.99, down from $249.99 at Best Buy; and the UE Boom 2 (Phantom) will be $79.99, down from $179.99 at Kohl's (with $15 Kohl's cash). MacMall will match this discount on the UE Boom 2, and have a UE Wonderboom sale of its own, marking the tiny Bluetooth speaker down to $49.99 from $99.99.
ue boom 2 colorsThe Bose On-Ear Wireless Headphones will be $99.99, down from $159.99 at Sam's Club and Costco; and Jet and Dell will have the Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones II for $299.00, down from $349.00.

Other sales:

Online Only

Websites that operate exclusively online will also have a handful of nice discounts for shoppers on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, with more to come for Cyber Monday on November 26. On Black Friday, Amazon has planned to slash prices on its entire lineup of Alexa and Echo devices, including the new Echo Plus for $109.99, down from $149.99; and new Echo Show for $179.99, down from $229.99.

amazonecho 1
At Incipio and Griffin you'll find 40 percent off sitewide sales, and Incase will offer a 50 percent off sitewide sale. These sales will run from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday at 11:59 p.m. PT, offering shoppers a decent period of time to save on iPhone cases, screen protectors, cables, battery packs, and more.

CalDigit has kicked off its Autumn Sale, which runs from November 13 through December 3 and includes a few Black Friday discounts. The sale has numerous discounts on Thunderbolt Stations and external drives, and the standout offer nets you a free 2TB AVPro 2 when purchasing any T4 Thunderbolt 3 RAID.

Keep an eye on Mujjo next week as the tech accessory company has partnered with MacRumors to offer our readers an exclusive sale where you can get 25 percent off sitewide using the code #macrumors at checkout. This sale lasts from Thanksgiving Day, November 22 through Cyber Monday, November 26.

Black Friday Roundup

Of course, there are many more Black Friday deals that will be available next week, including discounts on 4K TV sets, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles, and home appliances. To view more details on the shopping event, be sure to keep an eye on our full Black Friday Roundup as we continue to update it ahead of next Friday.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
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. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...

Top Rated Comments

OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
83 months ago
Remember that Black Friday prices have been shown to rarely be the best deal of the year.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shyam09 Avatar
83 months ago
@MacRumors

At T-Mobile ('https://t-mobile.7eer.net/c/153062/187811/3290'), you'll be able to get the iPhone XR ('https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-xr/') at no cost if you add the smartphone onto an existing line and trade in an eligible device towards the XR.
This is incorrect.

Existing customer - must add the phone to a new line
New customers - must add the phone to a plan with at least two lines ($120/month).

Also, they stick you with 36 months of bill credits, so you're locked in for 3 years.

Eligible devices start at the iPhone 6s.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ActionableMango Avatar
83 months ago
I'm not sure what to buy with the savings!
The more you buy, the more you save.

If you buy 910 HomePods from Best Buy, you will have saved enough money for a Porsche 911.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zimmy68 Avatar
83 months ago
Black Friday motto, if it has a home button, it gets a discount.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Williesleg Avatar
83 months ago
So sad, Timmy Cook has really ruined the brand. So Manu SKU's, so little innovation, I really wish I wanted some of that stuff, even at those fire sale prices.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bookcase Avatar
83 months ago
I had my sights set on the discounted iPad Mini 4, but the tech is almost geriatric at this point. Is this a good deal? I may just stick with my new Kindle Paperwhite.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)