The “free phone” deal is nothing new in the consumer space, and if you clicked on this article with a bit of skepticism, that’s normal. Whether advertised by AT&T, T-Mobile or Best Buy, such offers may not always be true. However, for the right customer, it’s the perfect opportunity to own a new phone for less than retail.
The latest variant of the “free phone” comes via Boost Mobile, which previously sold the iPhone 15 series for a penny, and has now switched to the latest iPhone 16 series. With this Black Friday deal, you can get the latest iPhone model, whether it’s the Plus or Pro Max, for just a cent. So, what’s the deal in this deal? Let me break down the fine print for you.
Also: The best Black Friday deals are live now
No one wants to buy one of the best iPhones in the market without cash, but digging into the offer details reveals that you need to meet three other qualifications to reap the benefits:
- You have to sign up for 36 months installment plan under Boost Mobile.
- A Boost Infinite wireless plan is required and starts at $65 per month.
- iPhone Boost is locked to the mobile network and cannot be used by other carriers.
Basically, the One Cent iPhone is Boost Mobile’s way of locking you into a three-year contract. The wireless plan you sign up for is how the carrier gets its money back.
Also: We tested the iPhone 16 Pro camera setup, and it’s grossly underrated — with one sad flaw
If you ever opt out of the contract, you’ll have to pay for the rest of the iPhone. Conversely, once you’ve completed the three-year term, you can always resell the iPhone and get some cash back.
These qualifications won’t surprise you, especially if you’ve previously purchased the phone from a carrier. In fact, if you’re already under a monthly data plan that’s about the same price (if not more), your current handset is paid off and you’re ready to try a new (and better) mobile service. The deal isn’t as bad as it sounds. Best of all, you don’t have to trade in any qualifying equipment.
before you take the offer, Here are the key differences between each iPhone 16 model to help you decide which one is best for you:
- iPhone 16: A more consistent iPhone 16 experience with a 6.1-inch display and bold color channels
- iPhone 16 Plus: A longer-lasting iPhone with a larger 6.7-inch screen, but a 60Hz refresh rate panel
- iPhone 16 Pro: The same feature set as the Pro Max, but with a smaller form factor and battery size
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: Largest display and battery on an iPhone with all the fix-ins, including camera control
|
model |
Battery life |
Regular price |
Camera |
|
iPhone 16 |
22 hours of video playback, 80 hours of audio playback |
$800 |
12-megapixel ultrawide camera with 2X optical zoom |
|
iPhone 16 Plus |
27 hours of video playback, 100 hours of audio playback |
$900 |
12-megapixel ultrawide camera with 2X optical zoom |
|
iPhone 16 Pro |
27 hours of video playback, 85 hours of audio playback |
$1000 |
48 megapixel ultrawide camera with 5X optical zoom |
|
iPhone 16 Pro Max |
33 hours of video playback, 105 hours of audio playback |
$1200 |
48 megapixel ultrawide camera with 5X optical zoom |
Looking to expand your scope? Check out our roundup of the best Black Friday phone deals available right now.
Deals may sell out or expire at any time, but ZDNET is committed to finding, sharing and updating the best product deals to get the best savings. Our team of experts constantly checks to make sure the deals we share are still live and available. We’re sorry if you missed out on this deal, but don’t worry — we’re constantly finding new opportunities to save on ZDNET.com and sharing them with you.
Black Friday takes place on Friday, November 29, 2024. However, expect retailers to launch discounts and sales weeks in advance.
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