eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
The annual shopping event known as Black Friday kicks off the lucrative holiday shopping season, and with tablet sales expected to spike this year, Apple is getting in on the action, offering discounts on its iPad 2 and iPad with Retina display tablets, as well as MacBook notebooks. However, shoppers looking to get a better deal on Apple products might have better luck checking big box retail stores such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy and online retailer Amazon for discounts.
Apple is not generally known for the deep discounts it offers on its products, whatever the shopping season, so consumers shouldn’t be too surprised to find the company is not offering any discounts on its newly released iPad mini or its recently refreshed iMac and Mac mini desktop computers.
Even the discounted products could be considered underwhelming for the opening weekend of the holiday shopping season—where many vendors offer deep discounts to encourage consumer spending.Those looking to purchase the latest iPad with Retina display tablet will save $41 on the 16GB model, $51 on the 32GB model and $61 for 64GB version, in either WiFi only or WiFi- and cellular-capable flavors. Apple is also trimming the price of the iPad 2 16GB version by $31.
That means an entry-level Retina iPad will set you back $458, while the iPad 2 rings up at $368. Apple is offering roughly a 9 percent discount on its notebooks, which means an entry-level MacBook Air costs $898, while the MacBook Pro starts at $1,098 and the MacBook Pro with Retina display starts at $1,598.
If you’re in the market for a digital music player, Apple is trimming the price of its iPod line, offering 9 percent off the iPod touch, and iPod nano. That means the newly revamped iPod touch starts at $268 for the 32GB version, while the 16GB iPod nano retails today for $138.
Apple is also cutting prices on its Time Capsule wireless hard drive, which today costs $278, down from $299, as well as offering discounts on its Airport Express and Airport Express Extreme wireless base stations. The company’s wireless keyboard got an 8 percent discount and retails at $58, while the Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse also saw discounts of $11.
Rounding out the company’s Black Friday offerings are a selection of Apple accessories include iPad cases and covers, as well as two sets of the company’s headphones. Apple is also offering free shipping on all items purchased online, and the company noted the discounts are also available on items purchased at the company’s physical retail stores, which have extended their opening hours in light of Black Friday.