T-Mobile Offers the iPhone 18 Pro Free While Retailers Launch Early Black Friday Hardware Discounts
Black Friday remains weeks away, yet early holiday promotions have officially launched across the tech market, with Mashable reporting that carriers and retailers are already cutting prices on premium hardware. Consumers seeking replacements for devices that will no longer hold a charge, feature cracked screens, or suffer from degraded processing speeds can now choose between zero-dollar carrier contracts and discounted unlocked or refurbished inventory.
Carrier promotions lead the current market activity. T-Mobile has listed the Apple iPhone 18 Pro for zero dollars when customers sign up for a T-Mobile Experience Beyond plan, utilizing 36 months of bill credits to offset the regular $1,199.99 sticker price. Trade-in offers also apply to this tier, which extends to larger storage configurations.
Retail pricing shows similar early adjustments for buyers who prefer unlocked devices or older generations. Best Buy has dropped the price of the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus to $799.99, taking $30 off its standard cost. In testing by Mashable, that model delivered approximately 19 hours of battery life per charge, paired with a Ceramic Shield display surface. For buyers targeting steeper discounts, Best Buy also lists certified refurbished iPhone 15 Plus units at $549.99, down from an original price of $899. Those refurbished units retain at least 80 percent of their original battery capacity with no screen scratches, despite Apple originally launching the iPhone 15 series in 2023.
Global Competitors Roll Out Concurrent Holiday Promotions
While U.S. carriers focus on zero-dollar smartphone upgrades, competing manufacturers have launched broad holiday campaigns internationally. Samsung has initiated its Black Friday event in Australia, running from October 29 to December 2 across mobile devices, televisions, soundbars, and home appliances, according to 7NEWS. That Australian campaign includes tiered hardware incentives, such as a complimentary Jet 65 Pet Stick Vacuum valued at $449 for customers spending more than $2,999 on selected refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, or dryers.
In the United Kingdom, SamMobile reports that Samsung’s early Black Friday window opens on November 4, ahead of the official November 27 holiday date. UK buyers can access a £250 discount on the Galaxy S26 through November 17, alongside a price-match promise guaranteeing refunds for any difference if selected online retailers beat Samsung’s pricing before December 1. Additional UK promotions include a £140 discount on the Galaxy Tab S12 Series using the promo code BLACK1, £75 off the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Series via PayPal checkouts, a £50 reduction on the Galaxy Watch 9 with promo code BFW, and varying discounts up to £50 on the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro.
Varying Deadlines Dictate Holiday Purchase Windows
Shoppers navigating the current early sales must track disparate expiration dates across different manufacturers and regions. Samsung’s Australian tablet promotion for the Galaxy Tab S12 series requires payment via PayPal and ends on November 18, while select television trade-up offers in that market concluded as early as October 30. Additional Australian discounts involving PayPal checkouts run from November 19 to December 2.
In the UK, Samsung’s discount on the Galaxy S26 concludes on November 17, while its price-match guarantee runs through December 1. These overlapping promotional windows demonstrate that retailers are spreading holiday incentives across the entire month of November rather than concentrating discounts solely on the post-Thanksgiving weekend.
