Black Friday 2026 lands on November 27. Phone pricing tends to see some of the sharpest movement of the entire year during this window. Refurbished listings for recent flagship models typically see the steepest cuts, since new-device pricing stays firm for months after launch. Resale inventory also grows once trade-ins pick up. Here’s a breakdown of what’s worth watching across the iPhone and Galaxy lineups.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro specs and refurbished pricing
Anyone tracking iPhone Black Friday pricing should watch the iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max specifically. All three models see meaningful refurbished discounts once a new generation launches. The iPhone 16 runs on Apple’s A18 chip. It pairs with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display and a 48-megapixel main camera with a secondary ultra-wide lens. Storage options run from 128GB to 512GB. The phone supports 5G connectivity across sub-6GHz and mmWave bands depending on the region.
The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max both carry the A17 Pro chip, built on a 3-nanometer process. They feature a titanium frame, which cut weight compared to the stainless steel design of prior Pro models. The camera system includes a 48-megapixel main sensor with 3x optical zoom on the telephoto lens. Refurbished pricing on both models tends to sit well below the 16s, given the extra year of depreciation, with the Pro Max carrying the widest gap due to its higher original retail price.
The best Black Friday phone deals this year tend to favor buyers who skip the newest chip. Refurbished iPhone 16 and 15 Pro listings deliver comparable specs to new retail units at a lower price point. Condition grading is attached to each listing, so buyers know exactly what they’re purchasing before checkout.
Galaxy S25 Ultra: Specs Worth Comparing
The Galaxy S25 Ultra pairs a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset with a 6.9-inch AMOLED display. The display runs at a 120Hz refresh rate. It includes a 200-megapixel main camera and a built-in S Pen stylus. Battery capacity sits at 5,000mAh. The phone supports up to 1TB of internal storage on higher-tier configurations.
Refurbished S25 Ultra units tend to hold value better than most competing flagships. This is largely due to strong resale demand tied to the S Pen feature set, which has no direct equivalent in Apple’s current lineup. Buyers comparing Samsung against iPhone will often find the price gap between refurbished and new narrows less on the S25 Ultra than it does on comparable Apple models.
Why sim-free refurbished phones are the smartest Black Friday deal
Sim-free refurbished phones remove the pricing structure carriers build around multi-year contracts. A discount only unlocks through a locked-in monthly plan in that structure. A SIM-free device shows its cost upfront, without a bundled service fee obscuring the price. This distinction matters most during Black Friday. Carrier promotions frequently advertise markdowns that only apply within a two-year commitment.
Refurbished vs New: What’s the difference
Refurbished and new devices have the same hardware specs. Refurbishment is a cosmetic condition and battery health, not internals. Each device sold through a reputable refurbished marketplace is inspected. They are graded and listed for sale after testing for screen condition, battery capacity, and full functionality. Back Market is a leading global marketplace for verified refurbished electronics. Its grading system covers each of these categories, with a warranty attached regardless of the condition tier selected.
How to choose the right phone deal on Black Friday
Choosing well comes down to comparing storage tier, condition grade, and warranty length side by side. The size of the advertised discount matters less than these three factors. The price difference between Excellent and Good condition units frequently exceeds the gap between refurbished and new at the same storage tier. This makes the condition grade the most important variable to check first. Confirming warranty terms before purchase remains the clearest way to separate a solid deal from one that only looks favorable at first glance.