If you’re shopping for a new phone, then there’s no better time than Black Friday. After all, there are so many deals to be had and more incentives than ever to upgrade your phone. Currently, Best Buy will give you a free $100 gift card if you purchase an iPhone 16 device from AT&T or Verizon.
That’s like $100 off, and you don’t have to trade in your old device to get it. However, if you do trade in an older phone, you can get up to $1,000 off through bill credits — on top of the $100 gift card.
Though the deal applies to any of the iPhone 16 lineup (including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max), I think the iPhone 16 Pro is the best option. Why? I’ll tell you.
First off, the size is perfect. Not everyone’s a fan of big phones, and these days, most other brands are pushing the “go big or go home” line by not giving you an option. The 6.3-inch size of the iPhone 16 Pro is an excellent middle ground for those who like a smaller, compact phone but don’t want to compromise on features. The 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display is beautiful, too, with 120Hz ProMotion and always-on technology. Scrolling is smooth, the Dynamic Island has become more useful over time, and text is sharp and crisp, with colors that are bright and vivid.
The other significant improvement is the 5x telephoto camera. Previously, the iPhone 15 Pro was stuck with a 3x telephoto camera, while the 15 Pro Max got 5x optical zoom due to having more space. But this year, Apple made both Pro models’ cameras equal, so you no longer need the biggest phone to get the best camera. The 5x telephoto does make a difference if you take a lot of zoomed-in shots, which is useful at events or capturing scenes of wildlife.
Apple also added the Camera Control button across the entire iPhone 16 line, and it’s come in handy. It is a new button located toward the bottom right edge of the frame, and it can do a few things. The function is to launch the Camera app or another one of your choosing (as long as it supports it), and you can adjust camera settings with the button through half-press and sliding gestures. Lastly, it can act as a shutter button, turning the iPhone more into a camera than ever.
With the A18 Pro chip inside and 8GB RAM, the iPhone 16 Pro offers very fast performance and can handle Apple Intelligence flawlessly. I’ve been using it every day since launch and have had no issues using all my apps, playing games, connecting to my car, and more. Battery life has also been fantastic and a big improvement over my iPhone 15 Pro, as I can make it through an entire day without having to top it off in the middle of the afternoon. The 1TB storage is also handy for me, which is not offered on the base models.
If you’re in the market for a new phone and don’t mind going with or sticking to Apple’s ecosystem, then the iPhone 16 Pro is an excellent option to consider with this Best Buy Black Friday deal. Of course, if you don’t need the maximum storage options, top-tier chip, telephoto camera, always-on display, or 120Hz refresh rate, then the base models are great this year too. And if you prefer larger phones, there’s even the iPhone 16 Plus or iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Either way, this Black Friday deal gets you a $100 Best Buy gift card if you get it with a carrier, and you can save more by trading in your old phone. Not a bad deal at all!