Apple iPhone 16 deals: the best discounts at launch and what to expect this Friday
Save as much as possible with our iPhone 16 deals guide
![Apple iPhone 16 on green background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rACfNDkkiG2bUjMMoSxUtQ-320-80.jpg)
It's official - this year's Apple iPhone 16 deals will officially be available to preorder this Friday. If you've been patiently awaiting your chance to upgrade then your time has nearly arrived and I'm here to help you save as much cash as you possibly can.
Although you can't shell out for a preorder just yet, several iPhone 16 deals have already been confirmed by Apple itself. As expected the official Apple Store will be bringing back its popular trade-in rebates of up to $650 / £650 off for unlocked devices. It also confirmed that trade-in rebates of up to $1,000 will also be available from other retailers this Friday.
As of writing, exact details haven't been confirmed but I've packed this page with the exact iPhone 16 deals you should expect this Friday. I've covered several subsequent launches now so I can say with fair certainty what you should expect at the major carriers later this week. I've also covered UK deals just below as well as pricing, major upgrades, and other various answers to frequent questions.
If you're interested in our ongoing in-depth coverage and expert analysis, check out our main Apple iPhone 16 hub page for even more information.
When will the iPhone 16 be available to buy?
As per usual, preorders for the latest Apple iPhone 16 range will open on Friday 13th September at 5:00 AM PDT / 8:00 AM ET / 1:00 PM GMT so note these times down in your calendar if you're looking to snag a device early.
As previously mentioned, devices will ship for an official release date of Sept. 20, which is when the iPhone 16 range will be available to purchase in-store if you want to go that route.
Row 0 - Cell 0 | US prices | UK prices |
iPhone 16 | $799 | £799 |
iPhone 16 Plus | $899 | £899 |
iPhone 16 Pro | $999 | £999 |
iPhone 16 Pro Max | $1,199 | £1,199 |
As predicted on our iPhone 16 price page, the iPhone 16 range debuts at exactly the same price as the previous generation - which is welcome (if not entirely surprising) news. Generally speaking, Apple tends to stick to the tried-and-true formula when it comes to pricing its flagships so you can expect rough ballparks to be similar to the previous generation. One to note for when you need to upgrade next year.
Confirmed iPhone 16 deals this Friday
- Trade-in rebates confirmed for both US and UK
- Up to $650 off at Apple
- Up to £645 off at Apple UK
- Up to $1,000 off at major carriers
As of writing, no iPhone 16 deals are available available to buy but Apple has confirmed what it and several other carriers will be offering this Friday.
First up, for discounts on unlocked devices, you can expect to get up to $650 / £650 off any of the new devices with an eligible trade-in. As always, we expect Apple to be the sole retailer for unlocked iPhones at launch so this will almost certainly be the best way to get a discount without the contract.
For major carriers in the US, it's looking like trade-in rebates will cap-out at the usual maximum of $1,000. That should be enough to get the standard iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro for free alongside an unlimited plan, although plan requirements and eligibility will vary from carrier to carrier. It's highly likely that we'll also see Verizon throw in a free iPad and Apple Watch SE with preorders - although the carrier hasn't confirmed these freebies just yet.
Over in the UK, the major networks will also likely offer their own trade-in programs and additional savings for air time plans - this includes O2, Vodafone, EE, and Three. Generally speaking, based on recent phone launches this year, you often see trade-in discounts of up to £600 off and reductions in the ballpark of £200 to £300 on the plan itself.
Check out our Apple iPhone deals hub page if you're interested in seeing what's available right now.
The best iPhone 16 deals this Friday:
Apple iPhone 16: up to $1,000 off with a trade-in, plus free iPad and Apple Watch at Verizon
Verizon has already posted its main iPhone 16 deal on its website, with a maximum trade-in rebate of up to $1,000 off with either the Plus or Ultimate unlimited plan. This is exactly what we were expecting would unfold and it's also likely that the carrier will also throw in a free iPad 10.9 and Apple Watch SE alongside your plan too since that's what's currently offered with the iPhone 15 series. We'll have to wait until Friday for exact confirmation here and note that you'll still have to pay for accessory cellular lines if you claim these freebies.
Apple iPhone 16: up to $1,000 off with a trade-in at AT&T
AT&T's opening iPhone 16 deal will offer excellent trade-in rebates of up to $1,000 off alongside an eligible unlimited data plan. Overall, a good deal and one that's likely to have relatively flexible criteria in regard to what device you'll need to hand over to get the full rebate. In short, expect to get the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro for free at AT&T this Friday if you have a relatively decent device ready to trade.
Apple iPhone 16: device, plus unlimited plan for $65/mo at Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile might just be the dark horse for this year's iPhone 16 deals thanks to its 'Infinite Access' plan. This plan usually offers completely unlimited data, text, calls, and a device for as little as $65/mo as well as free upgrade every year. Boost Mobile has already confirmed that the iPhone 16 Pro will be available with a $1,000 bill credit this Friday, which we're almost certain will be part of the previously mentioned Infinite Access plan.
Will any of the devices sell out?
It's highly unlikely we'll see any of the devices 'sell out' in the traditional sense. The supply chain is usually good for iPhones and we haven't seen any devices sell out at release for a few generations now.
If the devices are exceedingly popular, we could potentially see slightly delayed delivery times following the preorder phase. This really depends on how the devices are received, however, and it's unlikely that preorders will sell out at any point.
The main draw of placing a preorder, then, is not to secure a device, but to get your hands on one of the excellent deals that are usually available. Generally speaking, the deals from the initial preorders phase tend to be a little stronger than the usual promotions you find at the major carriers at any one time.
What are the key features for the iPhone 16?
- New A18 and A18 Pro chips
- Massive focus on new AI-integrated features
- 48MP "Fusion" camera
- Physical camera control function
Both the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro represent fairly substantial upgrades compared to the previous models. From the new A18 series chips built from the ground up for AI integration to the improved cameras, these devices offer plenty of enticing new features.
First up, the A18 Series chipsets come with the debut of 'Apple Intelligence', which, as the name suggests, is a whole suite of new AI features across the entire range of existing Apple apps. Think ChatGPT-like language models for texts or emails, image and emoji generators, and a new 'Visual Intelligence' app that is just like Google Lens.
In terms of hardware, the iPhone 16 series not only features new chipsets but also an improved camera with a new physical camera control button that directly interacts with the camera app. Apple is calling the new 48MP main camera the 'Fusion camera' since it can seamlessly switch between high-resolution images and more storage-friendly images, plus Stereoscopic capture for Apple Vision Pro.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max feature slightly bigger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays with slimmer bezels versus their predecessors. The main upgrades for the Pro models this year include the option for 4K video at 120FPS (perfect for slow motion) as well as the usual 48MP wide angle lens and 5x telephoto (12MP and 2x on the standard iPhone 16).
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Alex is TechRadar's deals editor, specializing in getting our readers the bang bang for the buck on the tech that we know and love. He's a dab hand at covering retailer events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day having over seven years of e-commerce experience at Future PLC; including bylines at our sister sites T3 and GamesRadar. Alex's expertise touches on most areas of TechRadar but he has a particular love for phones, laptops, and cameras, being an avid photographer. Outside of work, you'll find him indulging his love for street and travel photography, at home working on music, or down at the local climbing gym.