Modest discounts on Apple Black Friday mean a lot for a company that strictly controls its premium pricing every other day of the year. Image: CC ping ping/Flickr
Apple Black Friday is the one day each year Apple lowers its prices. A teaser went out this week about Apple Black Friday, but it offers no specifics about any deals. Because Apple Store discounts usually apply only to accessories, deals on iPads, iPhones and iPod Touches are usually found at Black Fridays held by Apple authorized resellers.
Apple iPad deals
Consumers can expect some modest discounts at the Apple Store on Apple Black Friday. According to MacRumors, a summary of Apple Black Fridays from 2002 to 2009 shows discounts of just less than 10 percent on computers. Steeper price cuts were offered on software and third-party accessories. Apple Black Friday in 2009 featured a $101 discount on the iMac and MacBook Pro. That leads the speculators to believe that Apple Black Friday 2010 will feature $100 off the iPad. This is because the lowest-priced iPads have already been selling at $100 less at certain T.J. Maxx and Macy’s.
Deals on Apple products
For Apple Black Friday deals on most iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches, a visit to an authorized Apple reseller could be better than braving the crowd at your local Apple Store. Toys “R” Us will have one of the best iPod Touch deals — a $50 gift card with the purchase of any new iPod. Best Buy offers a $30 gift card with the 8 GB iPod Touch. Radio Shack has $20 gift cards for the same model. Target will cut the price of the iPod Nano to $145 and throw in a $15 gift card. Online, Mac Connection has the new 11.1-inch MacBook Air at $30 dollars off and $150 off the 15-inch MacBook Pro.
Why would Apple give you an iPad deal?
As for the iPad, why would Apple, a company that fiercely protects its premium pricing, discount the hottest gift item of the season? Apple watchers are saying that the iPad 2 release is just over the horizon. Apple may want to clear clear out this year’s model with a price break, even though iPads are still flying off the shelves as fast as the Chinese factories can make them. Analysts expect a next-generation iPad in the first quarter of 2011 that is lighter, thinner, faster and comes equipped with a front-facing camera.
Your article states that Target will cut the 8GB iPod touch to $145 but it is actually the iPod nano. I wish they would drop the touch that low but they won't.