Should you buy an iPhone Xs on Black Friday?

iPhone XS (Image credit: iMore)

Should you buy an iPhone Xs on Black Friday?

We wouldn't recommend buying an iPhone Xs on Black Friday unless you're looking for a used or "refreshed" model. Instead, you should consider an iPhone 11 Pro, which was the successor to the iPhone Xs.iPhone 11 Pro (2019) from $899 at Best Buy (opens in new tab)iPhone Xs (2018) from $384 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

First introduced in September 2018, the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max came and went within a year, only to be replaced by the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, respectively. Finding a new iPhone Xs/Xs Max on the market in late 2020 is next to impossible. Because of this, we recommend getting the iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max instead. These phones are also retired but only left the market in October 2020, meaning these are much easier to find.

Only if you find a great discount

However, you should only purchase an iPhone 11 Pro/Pro Max if you can find one at an incredible discount. The reason? There are now seven active iPhones on the market ranging in price from $399 for the least expensive iPhone SE (2020) to $1,099 for the entry-level iPhone 12 Pro Max. Because of this broad price range, you're likely to find one to fit your budget.

Why the iPhone 11 Pro?

It wasn't that long ago when the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max were the best iPhones you could buy. The introduction of the iPhone 12 series changed this, of course. However, if you're willing to give up the small number of bells and whistles exclusive to that series for the sake of saving some cash, go with the iPhone 11 Pro series.

Among the highly popular features found on the iPhone 11 Pro are Face ID, a Super Retina XDR display, up to 1TB of storage, three back cameras, including ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto, and more.

Therefore, if you're looking for Black Friday iPhone deals, the iPhone 11 Pro could prove to be an excellent candidate.

Should anyone buy an iPhone Xs?

New iPhone Xs units are difficult, if not impossible, to find at the normal locations, such as Amazon, Best Buy, or Walmart. But if you don't mind a pre-owned, refurbished iPhone and don't care about having the most recent phone either, definitely check out Amazon.

iPhone 11 Pro (2019)

Keep in mind the price above is almost certainly the maximum price. Over the Black Friday holiday, expect huge discounts on the phone.

iPhone Xs (2018, renewed)

If you're okay buying a pre-owned iPhone, then you can get a fairly substantial discount on the iPhone Xs through Amazon. Bonus: unlike getting a brand new device, this one comes carrier-unlocked.

Don't wait for Black Friday

You don't need to wait around to find great Black Friday iPhone deals. Discounts for Black Friday are already showing up at certain retailers, including some other Black Friday Apple deals. If you find a great deal now, go for it and enjoy the iPhone you ultimately select!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Black Friday deals that are incoming.

Bryan M. Wolfe has written about technology for over a decade on various websites, including TechRadar, AppAdvice, and many more. Before this, he worked in the technology field across different industries, including healthcare and education. He’s currently iMore’s lead on all things Mac and macOS, although he also loves covering iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Bryan enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, traveling, and driving around his teenage daughter to her latest stage show, audition, or school event in his spare time. He also keeps busy walking his black and white cocker spaniel, Izzy, and trying new coffees and liquid grapes.