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Apple Store Black Friday deals were live in 2023: Gift Cards with select iPhone, iPad and Mac purchases

Apple’s headline Black Friday gift-card promotion was a 2023 event. See the exact eligible iPhone, iPad and Mac models, why the card is not an instant discount, and how to compare Apple with retailers and carriers.
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Update (August 18, 2026): The deal in this headline was Apple’s U.S. promotion from November 24, 2023. It is not a live 2026 offer. Apple has not published verified Black Friday 2026 terms, and its current Store page shows regular products and pricing rather than a Black Friday Shopping Event.

What the 2023 Apple promotion offered

Apple’s holiday event added an Apple Gift Card to selected products; it did not reduce every device’s checkout price. Eligibility depended on the exact model and configuration. The promotion was reported as available through Apple’s online store, Apple Store app and U.S. retail stores. The original November 24, 2023 coverage is available at 9to5Mac.

iPhone (2023 offer)

Model Reported gift card
iPhone 14 $75
iPhone 13 $50
iPhone SE $25

The iPhone 15 was excluded. These values applied only to that 2023 event.

Mac (2023 offer)

Model Reported gift card
15-inch MacBook Air with M2 $200
13-inch MacBook Air with M2 $175
Mac mini $100

MacBook Pro models were not included in the reported offer.

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$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
  • For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
  • Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
  • The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
  • Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
  • Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only

iPad (2023 offer)

Model Reported gift card
iPad Pro $100
iPad Air $75
iPad mini $50
10th-generation iPad $50

The same report said competing retailers often offered larger immediate discounts, particularly on the 10th-generation iPad.

Is Apple’s Black Friday offer live now?

No verified 2026 promotion is live as of August 18, 2026. Apple’s current U.S. Store presentation lists products such as iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17e, iPhone 17, MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and current iPad models at regular prices. Check Apple’s Store for current availability, but do not treat today’s listings as Black Friday terms.

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$100 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
  • For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
  • Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
  • The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
  • Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
  • Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only

The most recent event identified was reported for November 28 through December 1, 2025, with gift cards up to $250. That secondary report does not establish 2026 eligibility or amounts; see Cult of Mac’s coverage.

A gift card is not an instant discount

With a promotional card, you generally pay the device’s listed price first. The card is future Apple credit, not cash back at checkout. Your effective cost can be expressed as:

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Rank #3
$15 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
  • For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
  • Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
  • The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
  • Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
  • Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only

Effective cost = Apple purchase price − realistic value of the gift card

  • Full value: you will definitely spend the amount on Apple hardware, accessories, apps, storage or services.
  • Reduced value: you might use it eventually, but the money is tied to Apple.
  • Zero value: you would not otherwise buy from Apple.

In the U.S., Apple says its gift cards can be used at Apple retail stores, on apple.com, in the Apple Store app and for eligible Apple services and content. See Apple’s gift-card page and gifting help. Restrictions can differ between a general Apple Gift Card and an event-specific promotional card.

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Apple Physical Gift Card
  • For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
  • Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
  • The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
  • Available in $100 and $200, Card delivered via mail.
  • Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only

Apple versus other buying routes

Route Main benefit Main drawback
Apple Store Direct support, customization, trade-in and possible gift card Usually no immediate price reduction
Amazon or Best Buy Potential direct discounts, rewards and pickup Configuration, seller and return terms vary
Walmart Holiday pricing and bundles Check that the listing is sold and fulfilled by Walmart and that specifications are clear
Carrier Potentially large iPhone subsidies Often requires a trade-in, qualifying plan, installments or bill credits

Compare Apple’s checkout price with the competing cash price. A $150 retailer discount today can be more valuable than a $150 Apple card if you do not already plan another Apple purchase. Relevant stores include Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile; current prices and promotions require checking at purchase time.

Who should buy directly from Apple?

  • You want an exact eligible configuration and Apple’s price is close to the best alternative.
  • You will certainly use the card for another Apple product, accessory, subscription or service.
  • You value Apple’s support, engraving, customization or direct trade-in process.

Who should choose another retailer?

  • You need the lowest upfront cash price.
  • You rarely buy Apple products or services.
  • You want a newer model excluded from the historical promotion.
  • A carrier or retailer offers a larger discount after accounting for all plan, trade-in and installment conditions.
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If the card is missing or delayed

  1. Verify the exact model, storage and configuration against the event’s terms.
  2. Confirm the Apple Store country, currency and purchasing channel.
  3. Check the product page and cart for the promotional line before paying.
  4. Save the order confirmation, receipt, displayed terms and any gift-card email.
  5. Contact Apple Sales Support before ordering if the benefit is absent.

Delivery might be by electronic code, after shipment, after activation or as a separate physical card. Do not assume instant delivery unless the specific event terms say so.

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$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery - Season's greetings
  • For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
  • Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
  • The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
  • Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
  • Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only

Returns, cancellations and gift-card safety

Apple’s U.S. retail policy says Apple Gift Cards cannot be returned, and special-event pricing is excluded from ordinary price protection. The promotion’s own terms determine whether a returned device causes the bonus to be revoked, deducted or handled another way. Keep all records and ask Apple how the promotional card affects the refund before returning the product. The policy is at Apple’s U.S. sales policies.

Never send an Apple Gift Card code to someone claiming to be Apple, a government agency, a utility, technical support or a prospective buyer. Apple warns that cards are for Apple products and services, not unrelated payments. See Apple Gift Card terms and its scam warning.

The Bottom Line

The headline describes a November 24, 2023 Apple promotion, not a live August 2026 deal. Its largest reported bonus was a $200 card for the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, while selected iPhones and iPads received smaller amounts. Treat any future Apple event as conditional credit, then compare the real checkout price with direct retailer and carrier offers before buying.

Quick Recap

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$100 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
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$15 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
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The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.; Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
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Bestseller No. 4
Apple Physical Gift Card
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$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery - Season's greetings
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$500.00

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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