APPLE AirPods are always close to the top of Christmas wishlists, and Cyber Monday is a great time to get buying.
Don’t worry if you missed Black Friday last week: there are still excellent deals available on the AirPods and AirPods Pro.
There is nothing quite as exciting as tearing into the Christmas wrapping and discovering the iconic Apple logo. It’s no surprise then, they’re such a big hitter around the holidays.
One of the most sought-after items is the Apple AirPods, but they don’t come cheap.
If you’re looking for a bargain, your prime target is the yearly Black Friday sales, when prices plummet – but you won’t find Apple joining the discount party.
MORE APPLE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS
So now the Black Friday sales are drawing to a close, we’re rounding up all the retailers stocking the must-have item to find you amazing deals.
We’ve seen the 2nd-generation Apple AirPods Pro fall to a new low price of £199 at a number of different stores.
John Lewis is starting the party early, offering a huge 20% off Airpods when you purchase the newest iPhone 15 handsets.
Apple keeps raising the bar, leaving you spoilt for choice with various generations to dive into, and older models will always come with steep discounts.
Speaking of older models, Very is giving you a head start on the AirPods (2nd Gen) for £129, and the newer Airpods (3rd Gen) for £169 – and they slashed £10 off both.
Our tech editor Sean Keach tested the newest addition to Apple audio in his hands on Apple AirPods Max review and found the ‘slick’ headphones to sound “better than the price belies”.
And he also gave his expert verdict on arguably the most popular option in his AirPods Pro review.
Keep reading to find our top tips for finding the best deals this Black Friday as well as everything you’ll need to know about the big shopping weekend.
Live Apple AirPod deals this Cyber Monday
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- Apple AirPods 2nd Gen,
£129.99£99 – buy here - Apple AirPods 3rd Gen,
£169£149 – buy here - Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen,
£229£199 – buy here - Apple AirPods Max (silver), £447.08 – buy here
The price discounts on Apple AirPods aren’t spectacular this year, but they’re good enough to save you a few quid on full price.
The 3rd Gen AirPods have £20 off at Amazon, which is better than a poke in the eye.
If these deals aren’t doing it for you, have a look at Beats headphones Black Friday deals for more premium listening gear.
When is Black Friday 2023?
Black Friday this year takes place on November 24, pop that date in your diaries!
It was originally a shopping holiday celebrated in America, the day after Thanksgiving Day.
Although it began in the US, Black Friday is now a global sale occasion, with retailers taking part in their own deals over the Cyber Weekend.
Black Friday and the Cyber Weekend come to a close on the Monday after, with Cyber Monday taking its place and a last chance to save online.
Apple AirPods Black Friday deals
We want to make sure you’re getting the best price this Black Friday, and therefore we’ve put together a list of guide prices for each of the different Airpods, so you’ll know when you’re onto a good deal.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation, 2022)
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Guide Price: £229, Best Price in 2023: £199
New to the market last year were the long-awaited, second-generation AirPods Pro.
Now, for Black Friday 2023, they’ve been reduced to an all-time low of £199 at a number of different stores (see below).
Apple upgraded the audio performance and active noise cancelling, and extended the battery life on the previous model, and has built significantly upon the successes of the original 2019 release.
Both the case and AirPods Pro of this generation are IPX4 sweat and water-resistant, and the MagSafe case also has a built-in speaker.
We saw these drop to £219 on Amazon back in July, so keep an eye out for deals around or lower than that price this November.
- Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), £199 at Amazon – shop here
- Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), £119 at John Lewis – shop here
- AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, 2022), £229 at Very – shop here
Apple AirPods (2nd generation)
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Guide price: £129, Best Price in 2023: £99
The second-generation AirPods were released back in 2019, so while they’re not quite vintage, they’ve certainly been around the block.
So while Apple tech rarely drops that rapidly in price, we’ve still been very happy to see these older-model earbuds fall into double digits… just.
They’ve fallen in the past to £99, so keep an eye out for sub-£100 price tags this winter.
- Apple AirPods 2nd gen, £99 at Very – shop here
- Apple AirPods 2nd gen, £99 at John Lewis – shop here
- Apple AirPods 2nd gen, £99 at Argos – shop here
- Apple AirPods 2nd gen, £99 at Currys – shop here
Apple AirPods (3rd generation)
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Guide Price: £169, Best Price in 2023: £143.10
The newer version of the AirPods, meanwhile, are significantly pricier than the second-gen earbuds as you would probably expect.
In terms of specs, they boast almost 2 hours of extra battery life, plus the case is water-resistant and they’re compatible with Apple’s MagSafe charger.
We’ve seen these drop as low as £145 earlier in the year on Amazon so keep an eye out for a similar (or better) price during Black Friday.
- Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), £149 at Very – shop here
- Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) + Lightning Charging Case, £169 at Amazon – shop here
- Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), £149 at John Lewis – shop here
- Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) + Lightning Charging Case, £169 at AO – shop here
Apple AirPods Max
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Guide Price: £499, Best Price in 2023: £399.99
If you’re not a fan of in-ear audio tech, take a look at Apple’s high-end over-ear options.
Nope, cheap they ain’t, but the wireless AirPods Max will deliver the sound profile and all-round quality that we would expect from the wider range.
We’ve seen these be reduced as low as £399.99 earlier this year. Right now we’ve seen a minor discount, bringing the Max down to £479, but that might change in the days to come. Watch this space.
Apple AirPods Pro (1st generation, 2019)
Guide Price: £179
Since they’ve now been surpassed by the second-generation AirPods Pro above, these have been discontinued and are much harder to get your hands on.
The Apple AirPods Pro are the brand’s higher-spec earbuds. The main feature they offer that both the 2nd- and 3rd-generation AirPods don’t is ANC (audio noise cancellation) technology: essentially, that’s a low-level hiss that helps drown out any unwanted ambient noise.
This makes the AirPods Pro perfect for noisy commutes, or even just to banish that dreadful music that’s being played at your gym.
If you do manage to get your hands on some, you should be looking to pay no more than £179.
Is Apple taking part in Black Friday this year?
Whilst Apple does run its own Black Friday offers, Apple products are generally reduced by the retailers that stock them.
Some retailers will also run separate deals including free delivery and or increased warranties.
What deals to expect?
Products usually aren’t heavily discounted, but there are plenty of options for retailers to compare the best deals. We’d suggest checking out:
- Amazon
- AO
- Argos
- Currys PC World
- John Lewis
- Laptops Direct
- Very
What deals were available last year?
In September 2021 the 3rd-generation Apple AirPods were released with an RRP of £169, and since then we’ve seen them fall as low as £145 on Amazon.
Second-generation AirPods are currently available for £129 on Amazon and various outlets but got to as low as £99 last Black Friday.
Where all variants of AirPods are concerned, we don’t expect the prices to drop considerably, unless a new pair is released ahead of Black Friday that is.
When is Cyber Monday 2023?
This year Cyber Monday falls on November 27.
Typically, you’ll find some of the best deals on Cyber Monday as retailers wrap up the sale season. Cyber Monday sales are usually exclusively online, which makes it easier for retailers to extend them ahead of the festive period.
How much is delivery?
Delivery is free for all products bought directly from Apple, express delivery options may vary depending on your postcode and when you place your order.
If you’re ordering Apple products elsewhere, that will vary too. Amazon Prime customers will be eligible for free next-day deliveries on all products.
Does Apple offer any other discounts?
Apple does not tend to offer discounts on its own website, but you’re likely to find Black Friday discounts on Apple products from a variety of retailers.
How to connect AirPods
- To connect to an iPhone make sure the iPhone is up to date with the latest iOS release
- Hold the AirPods in the open charging case close to the iPhone
- Once you see an animation on your iPhone display tap ‘Connect”
- Follow the setup guide on the iPhone screen for AirPods or AirPods Pro
- You will need to set up “Hey Siri” on your iPhone if you haven’t already done so
- Once completed, tap ‘done’
- Your AirPods should automatically be set up with any other supported devices logged into iCloud under your Apple ID.
How much are AirPods?
That depends on the generation you pick.
In recent months, we’ve seen the second-generation AirPods fluctuate between £99 and stay steadily at £129, we’re confident they’ll at least return to £99 for Black Friday.
Meanwhile, the newer third-generation AirPods are currently on sale for £179 – now almost two years old, we wouldn’t be surprised if they dropped by another £20 later in the year.
Are AirPods waterproof?
No. AirPods have an IPX4 rating, which means they are dust- and splash-resistant.
While this makes them a good fit for gym workouts and surviving being splashed with water, they are not waterproof.
Submerging AirPods in water, which waterproof items can survive for a specific time depending on rating, is very likely to break them.
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How to clean AirPods
You should be careful when cleaning AirPods. Avoid using liquids or cleaning products which might be abrasive, or may enter part of the earbuds.
Apple recommends a “soft, dry, lint-free cloth” for cleaning the outer casing of AirPods. For the speaker mesh and microphone, Apple recommends “a dry cotton swab”.
How to reset AirPods
To reset your AirPods you can follow these easy steps:
- Close the lid on your charging case and place your AirPods inside.
- Wait 30 seconds before continuing.
- Open the lid on your charging case.
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and hit the “i” symbol next to your AirPods. (If your AirPods aren’t visible in Settings > Bluetooth, skip to the next step.)
- Press Forget This Device and confirm.
- Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case, with the lid open, for around 15 seconds, until the status light flashes amber, then white.
- Reconnect the AirPods by placing them near your smartphone with the lid open. Follow the instructions on the screen of your smartphone to complete the re-connection.
Do AirPods work with Android?
AirPods work with any Bluetooth-enabled device, which includes most Android, as well as most Windows computers and certain smart TVs.
Although AirPods do work with Android devices, it is worth keeping in mind that you will lose out on several handy features when you use them on non-Apple platforms, such as Siri, ear detection and customisable double-tap functions.
What is the difference between AirPods and AirPods Pro?
The original AirPods which launched in 2016 have been discontinued, and a 2nd generation was launched in March 2019.
When ordering from Apple, the latest generation Apple AirPods (2019), have an option of a wireless charging case.
They also include improved battery life and smart Siri assistant functionality costing £159. Other retailers often have two prices for the 2nd generation model: around £159 for the AirPods with the wireless charging case, and £130 without.
In October 2019, Apple announced its premium version of the AirPods, the AirPods Pro – which now costs £249 directly from Apple. The Pro earbuds not only include active noise cancellation (ANC), but are also water resistant.
The wireless charging case comes as standard with the AirPods Pro.
More Amazing Black Friday Deals
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