iPhone 15 Black Friday deals: is it worth the rush?

Recent iPhone 15 Black Friday deals

In the last couple of years, iPhone 15 Black Friday deals have been a mixed bag of promotions rather than direct price discounts. Taking one on contract with a telco like O2 or Three has typically come with extra data allowances. For instance, O2 has previously offered 500 GB data packages at the price of 150 GB, plus free access to its O2 priority programme for early event booking at its venues.

Retailers like Argos and Currys have offered trade-in discounts connected to Apple's in-house programme, which has seen big savings on the recommended retail price. These stores may also sometimes offer small direct iPhone 15 Black Friday discounts, but these have been rare. Apple iPhone 15 Black Friday deals aren't usually offered by the brand itself, although they sometimes provide free accessories like earbuds.

*Prices last updated 18/11/24 - subject to change

Are Black Friday iPhone 15 promos worth it?

The fact that iPhone 15 Black Friday deals have historically been in the form of free extras, rather than direct discounts on the devices themselves, shows up when we track the prices over the last 12 months, including November 2023.

The data reveals two interesting points. First, the price of an iPhone 15 was at its highest peak in the weeks running up to Black Friday last year, at an average of about £799. It then plummeted to around £649 about 12 days before Black Friday, before rising sharply again. On the day itself, Black Friday iPhone 15 prices themselves swung between about £749 and £699 – never reaching the previous low mark.

This fluctuation continued throughout most of 2024, characterised by price spikes and drops every month. However, there was a steady overall downward trend, with a low of around £590 in July. The price climbed somewhat in August, reaching an average of around £650. 

Then something interesting happened. When Apple announced the release of the iPhone 16, version 15 prices responded sharply. By early September, you could pick up an iPhone 15 for an average of around £535 – by far the lowest price of the year, including the previous Black Friday. After a few more dips and spikes, the price has now settled at around £599. This clearly indicates that anticipatory demand for the iPhone 16 had a significant effect on iPhone 15 prices.

It's clear from previous iPhone 15 Black Friday promotions that, while you can expect to get some decent value-adds, it's not necessarily the best time to land a good deal on the phone itself. This is especially true if you're looking for an unlocked device. Back Market prices can often be lower than average throughout the year, especially with the iPhone 16 driving down demand for its predecessor. Our top-quality refurbished devices are known for wiping as much as 50% off the cost of a new mobile.

Should I wait for iPhone 15 Black Friday deals?

This depends on your personal needs. History suggests that if you prefer the route of taking out a phone contract and getting a device linked to it, you can definitely score some good deals in the form of larger data packages and other longer-term benefits like rewards programmes. 

On the other hand, if you're in the market for a replacement phone, Black Friday isn't necessarily the time to get the best discounts. It's probably not worth going through the stress of a frenetic shopping spree when the data shows you have a very good chance of picking up a cheaper device at other times of the year. This means that you can take your time and find the best deals without the anxiety of having to compete with others lest you lose out.

A final – and very important – point is that it's far kinder to the environment to buy a refurbished iPhone. It supports a whole sub-branch of the economy that focuses on recycling electronics and redistributing them, rather than throwing them away.

The iPhone 16 is a step up in terms of software, rather than being a more advanced piece of hardware. In fact, it has a slightly lower screen resolution than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, with the same camera and Super Retina XDR display. The biggest difference is that the iPhone 16 comes with the new Apple Intelligence AI software, with a more powerful A18 processor to power it.

In our honest assessment, unless you want to play around with AI features, the iPhone 15 is a perfectly capable modern phone that is still one of the most advanced on the market. It's still a very suitable phone for everyone.

To summarise Black Friday iPhone 15 deals

The main types of deals you can expect from most retailers and telcos are in the form of value-added packages. The stats show that you can get better offers throughout the year. However, given that the new iPhone 16 was only released in September, this may cause an atypical drop in iPhone 15 prices. We might see some good Black Friday iPhone 15 Pro Max deals, in particular.

If you're in the market for an iPhone 15 discount on Black Friday, it's a good idea to watch the prices at your favourite retailers in the month leading up to the date. Some retailers increase their prices ahead of Black Friday, so that their discounts appear to be larger than they are, compared to the rest of the year.

When you shop at Back Market, you can get as much as 50% off the new price throughout the year, and your phone comes with a 1-year warranty. It's fully refurbished and tested to perform against the same benchmarks as a new device. And you'll be making a more sustainable choice.