Shopping for a new mobile phone can be confusing. Are you team iPhone or Android? How much storage do you need? What contract length should you go for? And, while Black Friday is an excellent time to take advantage of discounted tariffs and handsets, the melee of deals fighting for your attention can make the process more confusing still.
Black Friday isn’t technically until November 26, but the countdown has very much begun; every year the deals roll in earlier. To save you time and money, we will be scouring the internet to find you the best mobile phone offers available. So bookmark this page to grab the best Black Friday deals before they disappear.
Where can you find the best Black Friday mobile phone deals?
Last year, retailers including Very, John Lewis and Amazon slashed the prices of SIM-free handsets, but it’s often Carphone Warehouse and network providers including Sky, EE and Vodafone who offer the best Black Friday deals of all (including discounted contracts and SIM-only packages).
You can expect to find the best smartphones from Apple, Samsung, Google, Sony and Huawei significantly discounted across the board. While Apple aren’t known for participating in Black Friday directly, it’s possible to find iPhone deals at Carphone Warehouse and Amazon, among other retailers. Plus, the iPhone 13 is now out, so discounts on the previous-generation iPhone 12 are almost a given for Black Friday 2021.
Though there are brilliant deals on contract-and-phone offers it is sometimes cheaper to buy the handset and get a SIM-only contract separately. It isn’t always easy – particularly if you don’t have a few hundred pounds lying around – but it can pay off long-term.
The smartest shoppers get their wish list sorted in advance, so here are the things you need to know in order to find the best mobile phone deal in the Black Friday sales this year…
How to find the best phone deal for you
- Choose a focus: Choose your phone (or phones) of interest before the sales begin. There will always be bargain-basement Black Friday deals up for grabs from lesser-known brands who want a slice of the pie. It is easy to be tempted when a price seems too good to be true, but a cheaper handset isn’t necessarily a smarter buy than a slightly less-discounted phone you actually want.
- Do your research: Research the device’s battery life, screen specs, design, and camera tech to ensure it meets all of your needs. A fantastic camera might matter to an avid Instagrammer in the way a Snapdragon processor might matter to a handheld gamer. Make sure your device fits your personal preferences.
- New isn’t always best: High spec often translates into high cost and sophisticates like the Samsung Galaxy S21 and iPhone 12 have price tags to match their power. While both may be discounted in the deals, such new and popular handsets are likely to be sold at close to full price.
- The generation game: Remember you’re not only looking for brand and model, but generation. Older phones depreciate in value each time a new generation is released, meaning many retailers will offer £100s off former favourites. Double-check your dates before you double-click.
- Bills, bills, bills: Networks and carriers often tout the best Black Friday deals of all, slashing contract and up-front costs. So don’t take out or renew a phone contract in October. Holding out for a few weeks could save you far more on your phone bills in the long run.
- Phone a friend: Two-for-one deals are becoming increasingly popular. If you have a friend or family member looking for a new phone of their own, consider these offers first. Half price is about as good as it gets.