Target's Black Friday Smartphone Deals
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The retail giant Target posted its 40-page Black Friday circular ad on Monday, and it contains deals for popular new phones from Apple and Samsung.
The holiday sale will also include special offers on TVs, tablets, the Apple Watch Series 1, and Fitbit fitness trackers. On top of the listed deals, Target will offer Black Friday shoppers who spend at least $50 in store or online a coupon for 20 percent off a follow-up trip to Target between Nov. 28 and Dec. 10.
Target stores will open at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving night, then close at midnight, before reopening at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. Target REDcard holders get access to the retailer’s deals on Nov. 22, while everyone else has to wait until Thanksgiving. The Black Friday deals are good through Nov. 25 in stores and on Target’s website.
Here’s a look at a few of the offers, starting with Target’s Black Friday smartphone deals.
Smartphones
Samsung's Galaxy Note8, S8, and S8+, $725-$930. There's no discount there, but each phone comes with a free $300 Target gift card, which can certainly help you pay for other holiday presents. The offer is in-store only and comes with a few caveats: You have to sign up for service with Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint, and you have to agree to a lengthy lease or payment plan (24 to 30 months). If you decide to leave the carrier or return the phone before the deal is paid off, you’re on the hook for the cost of the gift card.
Apple's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, $700-$800. There's no discount here either, but each phone comes with a free $250 Target gift card. The offer features the same service, payment, and early-out conditions mentioned in the Samsung Galaxy deal above. In many ways, it's not a whole lot different than the offers being presented by the carriers now, though most of those require you to trade in an old phone.
Apple's iPhone SE, $99. That's down from Target's usual $159 price. And it’s a big drop from the current Apple Store price of $349, though other major retailers are offering the model for between $130 and $160.
While the SE has been on the market for well over a year, it gets very good marks from our testers and might appeal to someone who wants much of the functionality you find in today’s high-end smartphones, but in a small and budget-priced package.
Samsung's Galaxy J3 Luna Pro, $40. Target says that's a $60 drop in its regular price for the budget smartphone commonly associated with prepaid cellular plans. Other major retailers are now selling the model for $60 to $100. The J3 has an unremarkable 5-inch screen, average battery life, and only one 8MP camera. On the upside, though, you don’t need a service contract or payment plan to get this deal, making this a decent gift for someone who just wants a simple smartphone.
More Electronics Deals
If you're looking to cross more items off your holiday gift list, here are some other noteworthy electronics deals scheduled for Target's Black Friday sale.
A 55-inch Westinghouse 4K UHD TV, $250. This appears to be one of Target's flagship TV deals; the price is low for a 55-inch 4K TV, but note that Westinghouse sets haven't typically performed well in our tests.
A 16-GB WiFi Samsung Galaxy Tab A Tablet, $180. That's a full $100 off the regular price. The offer also includes a free $20 Target gift card. Our testers lauded the 10.5-inch tablet's display, its ability to transfer files via USB, and the microSD card slot, which enables you to expand the storage.
Apple Watch Series 1, $180. That represents a $70 price cut. The Series 1 model, which uses the same operating system as the new Series 3 (which starts at $329), posted excellent scores in our testing. That combined with the lower price makes the Series 1 a Consumer Reports Best Buy.
Fitbit's Alta HR and Charge 2, $100. This price is a $50 savings on trackers that are rarely discounted.
The Fitbit Blaze, $150. That's also a $50 discount—on a tracker with a 1.2-inch touchscreen LCD display.
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