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How much can you save at Apple’s Refurbished Store?

tigaman webdesign — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 10:13:20 +0000

Looking for a way to save some money on the latest Apple products? Consider a refurbished MacBook, refurbished iPhone, or refurbished iPad from the Apple Certified Refurbished store. A refurbished product is just like new, but Apple sells it at a lower price.

Here’s a quick guide with information about which products are available on Apple’s refurbished store, how much you can save on the refurb store, and everything you need to know about the ins and outs of the Apple Certified Refurbished store and buying a refurbished MacBook, desktop Mac, iPhone, or iPad from Apple. You’ll find links to the sections of Apple’s Refurbished store so you can buy Apple products for less.

What is the Apple Certified Refurbished Store?

Before we begin, a bit of an explanation of what the Apple Certified Refurbished Store is. This is where Apple sells gently-used products that have usually been returned to the company because someone changed their mind within the 14-day returns period, or due to a fault. Before they are put on the virtual shelves Apple puts these products through what it calls a “stringent refurbishment process” and tests and repairs these products to make sure they are in like-new condition.

Apple says that each product is thoroughly tested and any problematic hardware components are replaced. The exception is with the Apple Watch and Apple Pencil: If these items need new parts, they aren’t put up for sale.

Each product also goes through a quality assurance inspection and is cleaned, inspected, and repackaged with complete documentation, cables, and anything else that usually ships with that device. These products are essentially like new.

Apple also includes a standard one-year limited warranty with all refurbished products. Learn more about Apple’s hardware warranties.

AppleCare is also available, so, for an additional fee, you can get two or three years of coverage and support. Read our guide to AppleCare for more information.

Strangely, finding the Apple Certified Refurbished store isn’t obvious. On Apple.com, scroll to the very bottom of the page, where you’ll find a site directory. Under Apple Store, you’ll find a link for Refurbished and Clearance.

What is available on the Apple Certified Refurbished Store?

We’ll run through what’s available in more detail in the sections below, but here’s what you can get on the Apple Refurbished Store:

Macs including MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Studio
iPads: Including iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad Pro and the standard iPad.
iPhone: Various generations.
Apple Watch: Series 7, 8 and SE.
Apple TV
Accessories including Apple Pencil and Studio Display.

Refurbished Apple Watch

Apple offers cut-price, refurbished Apple Watches on its Certified Refurbished Store.

In the U.S. you can get an Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8 or Apple Watch SE for less than the full price.

You can save $110 on a refurbished Apple Watch 8 with Cellular in the stainless steel case.

Get a refurbished Apple Watch at Apple’s refurbished store (U.S.)

In the U.K. you can also save on an Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8 or Apple Watch SE.

You can save £120 on a refurbished Apple Watch 8 with Cellular in the stainless steel case.

Get a refurbished Apple Watch at Apple’s refurbished store (U.K.)

Have a look at our best Apple Watch deals to see if you can save even more. Also read Should I buy a refurbished Apple Watch?

Refurbished iPhone

If you want to pick up an iPhone unlocked, you can save money by buying one from Apple’s refurbished store.

The U.S. refurbished store has a limited selection of iPhones including the:

iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max

You can save as much as $290 on an iPhone 12 Pro Max, compared to the original price.

Get a refurbished iphone at Apple’s refurbished store (U.S.)

In the U.K. there is a much wider selection of iPhones available from Apple’s refurbished store. You can get the following:

iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max

There are savings of £200 on the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Get a refurbished iphone at Apple’s refurbished store (U.K.)

Check out the best iPhone deals we’ve seen. Also read Where to buy a refurbished iPhone.

Refurbished iPad

If you want an iPad, you can get one for less by shopping at the Apple refurbished store. Various models and different generations are available.

The U.S. refurbished store has a selection that includes:

Standard iPad (8th and 9th generation)
iPad Air (4th generation)
11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation)
12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th and 5th generation)
iPad mini (5th and 6th generation)

Compared to the original price, you can save as much as $320 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Get a refurbished iPad at Apple’s refurbished store (U.S.)

In the U.K. you’ll find a similar selection of iPads available from Apple’s refurbished store. You’ll find the following:

Standard iPad (9th generation)
iPad Air (4th generation)
11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation)
12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th generation)
iPad mini (5th and 6th generation)

There are savings of £480 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, compared to the original price.

Get a refurbished iPad at Apple’s refurbished store (U.K.)

Check out the best iPad deals we’ve seen. Also read Why buy a refurbished iPad.

Refurbished MacBook

Apple’s MacBook stock ebbs and flows. Sometimes there are several current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models to choose from, while other times the selection is small. Some are standard configurations, while others are customized, built-to-order models. Read: Why you should buy a refurbished Mac.

In the U.S. you’ll find the following Mac laptops available in the refurbished store:

13-inch MacBook Air, M1, 7-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Air, M1, 8-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Air, M2, 8-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Air, M2, 10-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Pro, M1, 8-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Pro, M2, 8-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Pro, M2, 10-core GPU
14-inch MacBook Pro, M1 Pro, 10-core GPU
14-inch MacBook Pro, M1 Pro, 14-core GPU
14-inch MacBook Pro, M2 Pro, 16-core GPU
14-inch MacBook Pro, M1 Max, 32-core GPU
16-inch MacBook Pro, M1 Pro, 16-core GPU
16-inch MacBook Pro, M2 Pro, 19-core GPU
16-inch MacBook Pro, M2 Max, 38-core GPU

You’ll also find older Intel-powered MacBook Pro models with decent savings to be had.

You can save as much as $530 off a 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Max, compared to the original price.

Get a refurbished MacBook at Apple’s refurbished store (U.S.)

In the U.K. you’ll find a slightly smaller selection of Mac laptops available from Apple’s refurbished store. Here’s what you can find:

13-inch MacBook Air, M1, 7-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Air, M1, 8-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Air, M2, 8-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Air, M2, 10-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Pro, M1, 8-core GPU
13-inch MacBook Pro, M2, 10-core GPU
14-inch MacBook Pro, M2 Pro, 16-core GPU
14-inch MacBook Pro, M2 Pro, 19-core GPU

You’ll also find older Intel-powered MacBook Pro models from 2019 and 2022 with decent savings.

There are saving of £410 on a 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro, compared to the original price.

Check out the best MacBook Air deals and the best MacBook Pro deals we’ve seen.

Get a refurbished iPad at Apple’s refurbished store (U.K.)

Refurbished Mac

If you want a desktop Mac, such as an iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Studio you can save money by shopping at the Apple refurbished store. Various models and different generations are available, from time to time you may even find a Mac Pro.

The U.S. refurbished store has the following Mac desktops in stock:

Mac mini, M1, 8-core GPU
Mac mini, M2, 10-core GPU
iMac, M1, 7-core GPU
iMac, M1, 8-core GPU
Mac Studio, M1 Max, 24-core GPU
Mac Studio, M1 Ultra, 64-core GPU

You can even find old Intel-powered Macs, including some old Mac Pro models.

You can save as much as $270 on a Mac Studio, compared to the original price.

Get a refurbished Mac at Apple’s refurbished store (U.S.)

In the U.K. you’ll find a small selection of Macs available from Apple’s refurbished store including the Mac mini and Mac Studio. At the time we updated this article in July 2023 there were no iMacs available.

Mac mini, M1, 8-core GPU
Mac mini, M2 Pro, 19-core GPU
Mac Studio, M1 Ultra, 64-core GPU

There are savings of £210 on the Mac mini with M2 Pro, compared to the original price.

Get a refurbished iPad at Apple’s refurbished store (U.K.)

Check out the best iMac deals and the best Mac mini deals we’ve seen.

Refurbished Apple TV

Want to buy an Apple TV without spending a fortune? You can get one on the refurbished store.

In the U.S. you can get up to $20 off a refurbished Apple TV:

Apple TV 4K with 128GB SSD (3rd gen)
Apple TV 4K with 64GB SSD (3rd gen)
Apple TV 4K with 64GB SSD (2nd gen)
Apple TV 4K with 32GB SSD (2nd gen)

Get a refurbished Apple TV at Apple’s refurbished store (U.S.)

There’s less choice in the U.K. where you can get a refurbished Apple TV 4K with 64GB SSD (3rd gen) with £20 off.

There are savings of £210 on the Mac mini with M2 Pro, compared to the original price.

Get a refurbished Apple TV at Apple’s refurbished store (U.K.)

Check out the best Apple TV deals we’ve seen.

Other refurbished Mac sellers

Apple isn’t the only company to resell second-hand, refurbished Macs. You could also pick up a refurbished MacBook and reconditioned Mac from the resellers listed below:

In the U.S.:

In the U.K.:

Apple Inc, Apple TV, Apple Watch, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Mac

Best iPhone SE deals of July 2023

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 15:44:09 +0000

Macworld

If you’re looking for an iPhone but don’t want to spend a fortune, the third-gen iPhone SE, Apple’s cheapest current handset, is the phone for you. It features a powerful processor (the A15, which also appeared in the flagship iPhone 13 Pro from 2021) at an affordable price, starting at $429 in the U.S. or £449 in the U.K.

For a phone that’s even cheaper, however, you may want to consider the second-gen iPhone SE from 2020. Apple no longer sells this device itself, but other vendors may still sell you one for a bargain price.

In this article we round up the best deals and discounts currently available on each iPhone SE model, as well as cheap bundle offers worth considering. We cover both SIM-free and contract deals, identifying which retailers which have the handsets in stock, and which offer the best price. If you want to get yourself an iPhone SE, read on for the best deals.

Amazon Prime Day

Amazon’s Prime Day sales event takes place on July 11 and 12, 2023. Prime Day might see some significant iPhone discounts, and then again it might not, but either way it’s probably worth waiting until then to see. You can read about the best Prime Day Apple deals in a separate article.

How much does the iPhone SE cost?

Apple’s most affordable iPhone starts at $429/£449. (And you can get it for less if you trade in an older qualifying phone.) The 2022 model is currently available in three configurations:

iPhone SE (2022, 64GB): $429 / £449 / AUD$719
iPhone SE (2022, 128GB): $479 / £499 / AUD$799
iPhone SE (2022, 256GB): $579 / £609/ AUD$969

That’s a slight price increase on the previous model. The 2020 iPhone SE is no longer available from Apple itself, but had the following MSRPs at launch:

iPhone SE (2020, 64GB): $399 / £399 / AUD$679
iPhone SE (2020, 128GB): $449 / £439 / AUD$759

(If you’re buying the iPhone SE we recommend that you avoid the lowest-capacity model. We explain in a separate article: Why you shouldn’t buy the 64GB iPhone SE.)

Where to buy iPhone SE (2022) SIM-free

Apple sells the new iPhone SE starting at $429/£419. You can buy from Apple right now. (That’s the U.S. store; depending on where you are, the U.K. store or the Australia store may be more suitable.)

It’s also available from other retailers, who in time will start to offer discounts on Apple’s price. But this phone is relatively cheap (at least by Apple’s standards) and still relatively new, so you’re unlikely to see any startling savings just yet. In the U.S., in fact, all the major retailers are sticking at Apple’s price.

The best option in the U.K. at time of writing is KRCS, which has the third-gen SE for £444.51: a dinky discount of £4.49.

You can check the best and latest offers in our automatic pricing tables, below.

iPhone SE (64GB), MSRP $429/£449

$429.00

View Deal

$429.00

View Deal

$429.99

View Deal

iPhone SE (2022) 64GB – Midnight – Unlocked

$246.48

View Deal

iPhone SE (128GB), MSRP $479/£499

$455.34

View Deal

Numerous retailers are stocking the iPhone SE. Just make sure you get the third-gen or 2022 version of the iPhone SE: many will continue to stock the second-gen model from 2020, which features the older A13 processor and doesn’t support 5G.

U.S. readers should check the following stores:

U.K. readers, meanwhile, should check the retailers below.

Where to buy iPhone SE (2022) on contract

Try the following stores and carriers for the best iPhone SE contract deals.

As mentioned above, make sure you’re getting the 2022 model with the A15 processor and 5G. It’s also bearing in mind that you’ll want the contract to include 5G support too: you need both hardware and contract to support the tech, and this may cost extra. If in doubt, ask a member of the sales support staff.

U.K. readers can browse the best contract deals using the table below:

If you’d like to research further, try the following U.K. carriers:

iPhone SE (2020) deals

The iPhone SE model from 2020 is no longer sold by Apple itself, but there are good deals available from other vendors.

Where to buy the iPhone SE (2020) SIM-free

You’ll see the lowest prices from third-party retailers in the automatic pricing table below.

You can also buy the iPhone SE SIM-free from a number of other retailers. Try these U.S. stores:

U.K. readers should try the following:

Where to buy the iPhone SE (2020) on contract

You can pick up the iPhone SE from a number of different networks in the U.S. and U.K.:

U.K. contract providers:

We’ve also compared the original iPhone SE to the iPhone SE 2 if you want to know what kind of upgrades and differences to expect.

Trade-in discounts

Don’t forget you can save when you trade in your old qualifying phone with Apple or other retailers participating in a trade-in programme.

Apple offers up to hundreds of dollars off the iPhone SE when you trade in your old iPhone (but if your phone is older, you’ll likely get much less). You’ll have to select the trade-in option during purchase and answer a few questions about your existing phone model, storage capacity and condition. You’ll need to provide your IMEI number as well. Read about Apple’s Trade In scheme in the U.S. and U.K.

In the U.K. you could get even more money off if you trade-in via Currys PC World, which has offered up to £240 off previous iPhone SE models when you trade in an older iPhone. Head to Currys to see how much your device is worth.

Amazon offers some good trade-in values, so you should see if you can get more there. Check out Amazon’s Trade In program in the U.S. U.K. readers can see how Amazon trade-in process works here.

Apple reseller KRCS also offers a trade-in scheme.

Refurbished deals

You can save on the iPhone SE by opting for a refurbished model. This is an excellent option for the second-gen model from 2020.

Although you’re buying a device that has been pre-owned, buying refurbished isn’t the same as simply buying second-hand, the main difference being that the product has been repaired and rigorously tested to ensure it works just like new. Refurbished devices often come with additional warranty arrangements for peace of mind if you are to run into any issues after purchase.

Decluttr (better known as MusicMagpie in the U.K.) is a great source to shop for refurbished deals, although right now its prices are higher than Amazon’s. You reduce the rate if you choose to trade-in your old device or old tech for cashback.

When shopping refurbished, look out for Apple Certified Refurbished products. These have been repaired, with parts replaced as needed, and thoroughly tested (and cleaned) to meet the Apple standard. You can find Apple Certified Refurbished iPhones from the Apple Refurbished Store.

We have a dedicated guide on buying refurbished iPhones with everything you need to know, as well as the best refurbished iPhone deals.

Wondering if there’s a more affordable option than the SE? We answer the question What is the cheapest iPhone? in a separate article. Our iPhone buying guide, meanwhile, offers in-depth advice for those looking to buy or upgrade.

iPhone

Macs can get viruses, but do Macs need antivirus software?

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:14:05 +0000

Macworld

Do Macs get viruses? Do Macs need antivirus software? The answers to these questions aren’t as simple as they might seem. In this article, we look at the dangers faced by Mac users, and the pros and cons of using Mac antivirus software.

Historically, the Mac has been considered safe and secure for a number of reasons that we will go into below, but in recent years the consensus has fluctuated. In its 2020 State of Malware report, Malwarebytes said it saw “a significant rise in the overall prevalence of Mac threats in 2019, with an increase of over 400 percent from 2018.” The following year, the company found that overall malware detected on macOS decreased by 38 percent but that the worst kind, namely “backdoors, data stealers, and cryptocurrency stealers/miners,” increased by more than 61 percent.

One reason for the decline in 2020 was the pandemic; as restrictions were lifted, malware saw a resurgence in 2021, with the number of Mac detections soaring by more than 200 percent to an astonishing 164 million. Even Apple software boss Craig Federighi acknowledged in May 2021 that Mac malware was a problem… although it’s worth bearing in mind that at the time he was trying to make the case for iOS’s very different approach to security. “Today,” he said, “we have a level of malware on the Mac that we don’t find acceptable.” Federighi revealed that 130 different cases had been documented since May 2020, and that one of these had affected more than 300,000 Macs. He even admitted that members of his family had got malware on their Macs.

When the judge asked about the fact that Mac users can purchase and download software from various places on the Mac, rather than being limited to the Mac App Store, Federighi said: “Yeah, it’s certainly how we’ve done it on the Mac and it’s regularly exploited on the Mac. iOS has established a dramatically higher bar for customer protection. The Mac is not meeting that bar today.”

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Federighi noted that Mac users don’t download as much software as iOS users, and argued that if iOS was as open to third-party downloads there would be a real problem for that platform. “If you took Mac security techniques and applied them to the iOS ecosystem, with all those devices, all that value,” he said, “it would get run over to a degree dramatically worse than is already happening on the Mac.”

To get a feel for the number of attacks on the Mac platform, browse our complete list of Mac viruses, malware and trojans. Adware and Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) make up the majority of the malware detections on Macs, according to Malwarebytes.

Do I need antivirus for Mac?

So should Mac users start panicking? No. Mac malware does pose a risk that users should be aware of, but it doesn’t follow that Macs absolutely must be equipped with antivirus software. Such products have their advantages and you may choose to install one for more peace of mind, but we don’t view them as essential for the Mac.

For one thing, there are measures put in place by Apple at the operating system level that should protect Mac users from the worst malware threats. These built-in security features make attacking a Mac particularly challenging. They include Gatekeeper, which blocks software that hasn’t been digitally approved by Apple from running on your Mac without your agreement, and XProtect, which is Apple’s own antivirus built into macOS and inspects every app for malware.

As you can see, Apple goes to great lengths to protect you from malware by making it almost impossible for you to download it in the first place, let alone install it. Additionally, Apple does a pretty good job of keeping on top of vulnerabilities and exploits; if your Mac needs to be protected from these, a patch will quickly be pushed out over auto-update.

Thanks to these features, before you can install an app, your Mac will check it against a list of malware, and even if there is no reason for concern it will not make it easy for you to open an application from a developer that hasn’t been approved.

Gatekeeper and XProtect are two elements of Apple’s macOS security.

These features and other protections built into macOS (which we will discuss in more detail below) mean it’s not an essential requirement to install antivirus software on your Mac.

However, as good as these protections are, there have been occasions when malware has managed to infiltrate the Mac platform, and times when Apple hasn’t responded to a threat as quickly as Mac users might hope. If you want the very best protection from threats, therefore, consider adding a dedicated Mac security suite such as Intego Mac Internet Security. You’ll find Intego at the top of our roundup of the best antivirus for Mac, among other free and paid-for antivirus apps that might give you some peace of mind, including McAfee and Norton.

Get Intego Mac Security X9 here

Read on to find out more about how Apple’s security measures work–and why they may not be enough to keep your Mac secure.

How Apple protects Macs from viruses

Macs are generally safer than PCs, but with threats to the Mac growing due to the platform’s increasing popularity, Apple has had to build in protections to macOS and the Mac hardware itself.

In this section we will look at the built-in protections in macOS to establish whether they are enough, or if you should also install antivirus software on your Mac.

How XProtect works

The Mac’s malware scanning tool, XProtect, works invisibly and automatically in the background and requires no user configuration. Apple has a list of malicious applications that it checks against when you open downloaded applications. XProtect is regularly updated by Apple, and it updates in the background, so you should always be protected.

This is similar to having antivirus software from a third-party software developer running on your Mac, with the bonus of being written into the operating system and therefore not hampering performance.

If you download and try to open files contaminated with malware, you may see an explicit warning that the files will “damage your computer,” along with a reference to the type of malware. In that case you should delete the file immediately.

This is great news for Mac users, but is it enough? How does XProtect compare to the antivirus solutions out there? Well, XProtect may not be as up to date as some third-party products and it doesn’t look for as many strains of malware. Read our roundup of the Best Mac antivirus apps for an in-depth evaluation of the options out there.

How Gatekeeper works

Thanks to Gatekeeper, macOS blocks downloaded software that hasn’t been digitally signed, a process whereby Apple approves the developer. This leads to the familiar error message when you try to use or install unsigned software: “[This app] can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer.” One change to Gatekeeper that arrived in macOS Catalina a few years back was that software is checked for malware and other issues every time it runs, rather than just the first time you install it.

For maximum protection, GateKeeper can be set to only allow software to be installed if it was downloaded from the Mac App Store. Or you can set it to allow you to install software from the web, but from verified developers only.

You can adjust these settings via the Security & Privacy section of System Preferences:

In Security & Privacy, select the General tab.
Choose from the options underneath Allow Applications Downloaded From.
Choose App Store or App Store and Identified Developers.

The safest option is App Store only, but if you also want to be able to install legitimate software from the web then App Store and Identified Developers is the best plan. There used to be a further option to disable the feature by choosing ‘Anywhere,’ but this option is no longer available.

All software downloaded via the App Store is signed, but should you attempt to open an app you’ve downloaded from the web that isn’t signed, you’ll see a Gatekeeper warning like the one below:

This may mean you’ve almost installed malware. On the other hand, of course, it may be a legitimate app. In which case (and if you’re sure) you can bypass Gatekeeper’s protection and install it.

To do so, go to the Finder and locate the app there. Now hold down Ctrl when you click on the app, and then select Open. This will mark it as being trusted. For more details, read how to open an app from an unidentified developer.

Being able to download unsigned software might sound like a benefit, but it essentially enables you to bypass the protections offered by Gatekeeper. That’s a mixed blessing, and more and more malicious apps are instructing users to do exactly this when they are installed.

Software that is approved by Apple is also sandboxed, which means apps do only what they’re intended to do. App sandboxing isolates apps from the critical system components of your Mac, your data and your other apps, so they shouldn’t be able to do any damage. It doesn’t protect you from malware getting into the system, but it does limit the extent of what the malware can do once it’s in there.

The main problem here is that while apps sold on the Mac App Store have to be sandboxed, other Mac apps don’t.

However, even without app sandboxing, there are related features built into macOS that should still stop apps snooping on your data. Since macOS 10.15 Catalina in 2019 it has been a requirement for all Mac apps to get your permission before they can access your files. macOS will also ask for your permission before an app can access the camera or microphone, or log what you type.

Another change that arrived with Catalina is that macOS itself is now stored on a separate disk volume. This means that your important system files are all completely separate and therefore more challenging to access. Apps can’t get to your system files where they could cause problems.

Security updates

Apple regularly issues security updates for the Mac. While these can serve to demonstrate that the Mac isn’t infallible, with Apple all too frequently having security flaws pointed out to it, they are generally issued promptly.

Less pleasingly, these security updates have generally been issued as part of a larger macOS update: for example, macOS Monterey 12.2.1 closed a security vulnerability in WebKit that would have made it possible to execute malicious code. Because these security fixes were issued as part of a macOS update, which often requires the computer to reboot during the install process, Mac users may be less likely to install the update promptly, even though these updates can be set to install automatically.

Since the launch of Ventura, however, Apple has started separating out the security updates from wider macOS updates and rolling them out automatically. This way the update can happen in the background, without a restart.

Password protection and Passkeys

Apple improved the way users can manage passwords in macOS Monterey and also made some changes to two-factor authentication. You can find all your Passwords in System Preferences > Passwords. You just need to unlock it with your main password to see every other password you have. (You can also view this information on your iPhone in Settings > Passwords.)

In Monterey a new authenticator was added, so you can set up verification codes instead of using an authentication app. To add a setup key you need to click on a password and then choose Enter Setup Key, which you should be able to obtain from the provider. Once input the 2FA verification codes should automatically fill.

In macOS Ventura Apple moved from passwords to passkeys. Apple explains: “Passkeys use iCloud Keychain public key credentials, eliminating the need for passwords. Instead, they rely on biometric identification such as Touch ID and Face ID in iOS, or a specific confirmation in macOS for generating and authenticating accounts.” Passkeys are more secure, according to Apple. Essentially your device will hold one part of a cryptographic key pair and the other part will be stored by the website or service you’re logging into. Your device will authenticate you biometrically (with Touch ID or Face ID) and log you in. For more information, read How to use Passkeys.

Recording alerts

In macOS Monterey Apple added a Recording indicator in the menu bar so you’ll know if an app is recording you. A bit like the light that indicates the mic is in use on your iPhone.

Pasteboard alerts

Similarly, as of macOS Ventura, any app that wants access to your pasteboard has to request permission.

Safari protections

Anti-phishing technology in Safari will detect fraudulent websites. It will disable the page and display an alert if you visit a suspect website.

Anti-phishing isn’t the only way that Safari protects you when you’re surfing. Apple also allows users to prevent advertisers tracking them around the web. You can see a Privacy Report including details of all the cross-site trackers Apple has stopped from profiling you.

You’ll also notice that plug-ins such as Silverlight, QuickTime, and Oracle Java won’t run if they aren’t updated to the latest version, another way of ensuring your Mac is safe. And of course now that Adobe has discontinued Flash people should hopefully no longer fall for malware hidden in Flash Player.

Safari will also flag up weak passwords and make strong password suggestions when you open an account on a website. This strong password will be saved in your iCloud Keychain so you won’t have to remember it. It’s a lot safer than using the same password you always use. For more on this subject, read about How Apple plans to retire passwords.

In the past, one issue with Apple’s suggested passwords has been that sometimes they don’t match the website’s requirement. For example, a website may require one upper-case letter, one special character, one number and so on. As of the launch of Ventura, macOS allows users to edit suggested passwords so they meet these requirements.

New in Safari 15 were improvements to the Intelligent Tracing Prevention that arrived in Safari 14. Now web trackers won’t be able to see your IP address so they won’t be able to create a profile about you. Check this by choosing Safari from the Safari menu > Preferences > Privacy > Hide IP address from trackers.

Photo privacy

A few years ago there was a lot of bad publicity for Apple when celebrities reported that their iCloud photos had been stolen. (For more on this, read How to stop photo hacks on iPhone.) There have been a number of security enhancements in iCloud since this happened, and Apple has given users other ways to protect their photo privacy: for example, the ability to hide photos and albums. In Ventura, Apple expanded this so that hidden albums, and the Recently Deleted album, are locked by default, and only authenticated by Touch ID or Face ID.

Mail protections

macOS Monterey brought a new feature in Mail on the Mac. Mail Privacy Protection improves privacy for users. For example, it stops email senders from being able to track whether you’ve opened an email, or even determine your location from your IP address. Check that the feature is working for you by opening Mail > Click on Mail in the menu > choose Preferences > Privacy > and make sure Protect Mail Activity is selected. It should be by default.

There are additional Mail protections if you’re an iCloud subscriber. Hide My Email allows you to create an alternative email address that you can give out. The email will still be delivered to your inbox, but you can easily delete the alternative email later.

You can turn this on in System Preferences > click on Apple ID > and select Private Relay (currently in Beta).

In Ventura Hide My Email was extended to third-party apps.

iCloud+ protections

If you’re an iCloud subscriber, you’ll be interested in a feature that arrived in Monterey (part of the upgrade from iCloud to iCloud+) called Private Relay. It’s a bit like a VPN in that it encrypts your network traffic and routes your DNS lookup requests through two servers, one of which is not controlled by Apple. However, it’s not a VPN, because it only works in Safari and obviously it lacks the other usual features of a VPN. (If you want a VPN, by the way, check out our roundup of the best VPNs for Mac. You may even be able to save some money if you take a look at our roundup of VPN deals, or try one of these free VPNs.)

You can manage your Private Relay settings in System Preferences > Apple ID > click on Options beside Hide my email. Here you will see any fake email addresses you’re using; just click on Turn Off if you want to stop those emails arriving. You can also change which email address they are forwarded to.

Safety Check

A new feature in macOS Ventura is Safety Check, a feature that will allow anyone who is concerned that they are in danger from a person known to them to revoke any access they have granted to that person. So, for example, that person won’t be able to access their location, their photos, or anything else that could help them to be traced.

File encryption with FileVault

In addition to Gatekeeper, which should keep malware off your Mac, FileVault 2 makes sure your data is safe and secure by encrypting it.

If you’re concerned about someone being able to access the files on your Mac you can encrypt them using FileVault, which will mean only you can unencrypt them. Read our tips for keeping your mac secure, of which using FileVault is one.

Warnings about spyware

Apple announced in November 2021 that it would warn its users of state-sponsored espionage attacks, such as the well-publicised Pegasus spyware, on their iPhones, iPads and Macs. The notification will come via email or a message. The same warning will be displayed on the user’s Apple ID page at appleid.apple.com.

The warning will offer advice about how affected users can protect themselves against attack. There’s more information on Apple’s site.

Find My

Not every threat to your data comes from malware. Sometimes a criminal might get hold of your Mac, in which case Apple’s Find My service will come into its own.

The Find My app can relay the location of your lost or stolen Mac back to you. If you’re concerned that it might not be recoverable, you can wipe the contents of the Mac so that your data can’t be accessed. For more on this, read How to find a lost or stolen iPhone.

In addition, every Mac with an M1-series, M2-series, or T2 chip has an Activation Lock feature that means they can be bricked remotely.

When Apple’s security measures aren’t enough…

All the above is great, but unfortunately there have been cases where Gatekeeper has been bypassed because malware has got an approved developer signature. For example OSX/CrescentCore was able to bypass Gatekeeper because it was signed by a certificate assigned by Apple to a developer. It took Apple a few days to retract that certificate.

It isn’t only when malware gets a certificate from a registered developer. In the case of OSX/Linker, a zero-day vulnerability in Gatekeeper was being exploited.

Zero-day threats mean there are “zero days” to fix the vulnerabilities, although often a legitimate developer discovers the vulnerability and lets the developer know about it. There is usually a 90-day deadline for the fix to be made available. Some times the developer doesn’t act in time and the exploit is publicised.

Apple normally reacts quickly, although there have been cases where the company has ignored the identified vulnerability, such as when a teenager reported the Group FaceTime vulnerability that meant someone could listen in to a call and Apple failed to act. There’s more about how Apple reacts to security threats next.

When Apple is made aware of a threat the company usually issues a security update to the latest version of macOS and to the two versions prior to it. This way Apple will protect users from vulnerabilities and flaws in macOS that could be utilised by hackers.

Normally the advice would be to install the update immediately. However, for example a Sierra and High Sierra security update in July 2019 was subsequently pulled after people experiences problems after installing it.

How Apple responds to security threats

Despite the security measures Apple has in place, from time-to-time there are threats to the Mac.

Apple has its own security research team, but it depends on users and independent researchers to help by reporting any flaws they find in Apple products.

To this end, Apple has an incentive program that rewards such discoveries with payments of up to $200,000, depending on the seriousness of the flaw. But it was the last major tech company to set up such a scheme. (Microsoft set up its own bug-reporting incentive programme in 2013, and was itself criticised at the time for leaving it so late.)

On 4 August 2016, Apple security boss Ivan Krstic announced the Apple Security Bounty Program. “We’ve had great help from researchers in improving iOS security all along,” Krstic said. “[But] we’ve heard pretty consistently… that it’s getting increasingly difficult to find some of those most critical types of security vulnerabilities. So the Apple Security Bounty Program is going to reward researchers who actually share critical vulnerabilities with Apple.”

The top reward of $200,000 is given to those who discover vulnerabilities in Apple’s secure boot firmware components; for less critical flaws the bounties drop through a series of smaller figures to a bottom tier of $25,000. Wired has the details.

We imagine most Mac users will be pleased to hear that Apple has an incentive programme to encourage more widespread reporting of its vulnerabilities. Incentivising security researchers to let Apple know about a flaw instead of passing it on to hackers (which may still, sadly, be more lucrative) makes Apple products safer for everyone.

One such flaw was the High Sierra root bug, discovered on 28 November 2017. This flaw in macOS 10.13 could allow access to settings on a Mac without the need for a password. Apple immediately issued a statement confirming that it was working on a fix and an update was anticipated to be issued within days.

How to keep your Mac safe from malware

Apple does a lot to keep your Mac safe, but you have to work with it, installing updates when they arrive, not clicking on suspicious links in emails, not installing Flash, and so on. There are also some third party antivirus apps you could try – we have a complete guide to the best antivirus for Mac here.

Here are a few of the things you should do:

1) Keep macOS up to date

Despite what we said above about the security update Apple later retracted, normally the advice would be to install a security update as soon as possible.

Apple addresses flaws and vulnerabilities with the Mac by issuing updates to the Mac operating system, it is important to keep your Mac up to date. We advise checking regularly for OS updates remains a key part of a sound security strategy.

You can find out about the latest version of macOS here: macOS Ventura latest version information.

You can set your Mac to automatically update as soon as a new version of the operating system is made available. Follow these instructions to set that up:

How to automatically install macOS updates

Open System Preferences.
Click on Software Update.
Tick the box beside Automatically keep my Mac up to date.
Or, click on Advanced and choose from automatically: Check for updates, download new updates when available, Install macOS updates and Install app updates from the App Store.

How to automatically install High Sierra or older software updates

Open System Preferences.
Click on App Store.
Tick the box beside Automatically check for updates.
You can choose to download the newly available updates, if you want them to install automatically though you need to make sure the box beside Install macOS updates is checked.

How to manually install macOS software updates

If you’d rather not let your Mac automatically update, you should periodically check to see if there is an update to your version.

In macOS High Sierra and earlier you can go to the Mac App Store and check for updates.
In macOS Mojave and newer you need to go to the Software Update pane in System Preferences.

You may need to restart your computer once the update has downloaded. You can expect a typical 460MB download to take about 8 minutes (during which time you will still be able to work) but for a large update you will have to restart and install and that could take as much as 20 minutes, bringing the total install time to about 25 minutes in total.

For our in-depth guide to updating Mac operating systems, see How to update macOS.

2) Don’t connect to public Wi-Fi networks

Beware of connecting to a public Wi-Fi network as there may be someone spying who could gain access to your passwords and other private information, or you could have your session hijacked. Snoopers can set up their own Wi-Fi hotspot, pretending to be your hotel or coffee shop, then once you have connected they can grab any data you send over it. In the past there have been flaws detected in the OS that could allow access to your Mac, such as the SSL error in an earlier version of Mac OS X that meant it was possible for a hacker to access your machine if you were using public WiFi.

3) Don’t install Flash

Adobe discontinued Flash on 31 December 2020 with good reason. Intego, Malwarebytes and others recommended that you shouldn’t install Flash Player. Fake Flash Player updates have often been the means by which people install malware. For example, people want to watch or download a popular movie or TV series for free and they find a search result that leads to a request to update Flash Player in order to view the content. There is no need to install Flash Player now that HTML5 has made Flash obsolete. Now that Flash is no longer be supported the advice is simple: Don’t use Flash!

4) Keep Java up to date on your Mac

If you must use Java (which is also problematic) then make sure it’s up to date. Vulnerabilities with Java have highlighted the fact that there are cross-platform threats that even Mac users need to be aware of. Apple blocks Java by default, leaving it to the user to decide whether to install those tools. If you do need to update them be very careful where you download updates from!

5) Avoid falling foul of phishing emails

Protect yourself from phishing attacks not responding to emails that require you to enter a password or install anything. You could also use free software such as BlockBlock. That way even you were to carry out the steps to launch the malware, it would not be able to write files or mark itself as launching on startup.

6) Don’t fall for Facebook scams

Facebook scams are usually designed to harvest data about the most gullible people, so if it seems like it might be too good to be true it probably is and you’d be wise not to share it on Facebook. At best you might just look silly and those scammers will start to target you with more scams, at worse scammers can access your personal data and that of those you share their post with. So don’t click on a link just because a friend shared it and definitely don’t give out your personal data on Facebook.

Why you need to protect Windows users

One of the reasons why, regardless of how safe a Mac is from malware, we should run an antivirus is to protect our Windows using friends and colleagues. While it’s unlikely that your Mac will run any malware, there is possibly a more pernicious issue: You Mac could become the Typhoid Mary of Windows viruses, which is to say, you could be harboring viruses on your Mac that won’t effect you, but can be problems for Windows users.

Some years ago when writing about Mac malware we identified the following nasties on our Mac:

That is a list of 30 potentially bad things that… you guessed it, were found on the Mac we ran a test virus scan on, one of which was a Windows virus.

How to tell if a Mac has a virus

Look out for the following signs that your Mac has been infected with malware:

Aggressive web page banners and browser pop-ups recommending software.
Web page text turning into hyperlinks.
Programs appearing that you haven’t authorized.
Mac crashes.
Mac runs hot.
Mac speeds up for no reason.

If you think something suspicious is happening, open Activity Monitor and click on the CPU tab. Check what software is running – especially if something is hogging a lot of your resources.

We discuss how to tell if your Mac has a virus and how to remove a Mac virus in a separate article: How to remove a virus from a Mac and How to protect your Mac against attack and disaster to avoid getting infected.

Antivirus, Personal Software, Security

Macs can get viruses, but do Macs need antivirus software?

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:14:05 +0000

Macworld

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Do I need antivirus for Mac?

Gatekeeper and XProtect are two elements of Apple’s macOS security.

These features and other protections built into macOS (which we will discuss in more detail below) mean it’s not an essential requirement to install antivirus software on your Mac.

Get Intego Mac Security X9 here

Read on to find out more about how Apple’s security measures work–and why they may not be enough to keep your Mac secure.

How Apple protects Macs from viruses

Macs are generally safer than PCs, but with threats to the Mac growing due to the platform’s increasing popularity, Apple has had to build in protections to macOS and the Mac hardware itself.

In this section we will look at the built-in protections in macOS to establish whether they are enough, or if you should also install antivirus software on your Mac.

How XProtect works

How Gatekeeper works

You can adjust these settings via the Security & Privacy section of System Preferences:

In Security & Privacy, select the General tab.
Choose from the options underneath Allow Applications Downloaded From.
Choose App Store or App Store and Identified Developers.

All software downloaded via the App Store is signed, but should you attempt to open an app you’ve downloaded from the web that isn’t signed, you’ll see a Gatekeeper warning like the one below:

The main problem here is that while apps sold on the Mac App Store have to be sandboxed, other Mac apps don’t.

Security updates

Password protection and Passkeys

Recording alerts

In macOS Monterey Apple added a Recording indicator in the menu bar so you’ll know if an app is recording you. A bit like the light that indicates the mic is in use on your iPhone.

Pasteboard alerts

Similarly, as of macOS Ventura, any app that wants access to your pasteboard has to request permission.

Safari protections

Anti-phishing technology in Safari will detect fraudulent websites. It will disable the page and display an alert if you visit a suspect website.

Photo privacy

Mail protections

You can turn this on in System Preferences > click on Apple ID > and select Private Relay (currently in Beta).

In Ventura Hide My Email was extended to third-party apps.

iCloud+ protections

Safety Check

File encryption with FileVault

In addition to Gatekeeper, which should keep malware off your Mac, FileVault 2 makes sure your data is safe and secure by encrypting it.

Warnings about spyware

The warning will offer advice about how affected users can protect themselves against attack. There’s more information on Apple’s site.

Find My

Not every threat to your data comes from malware. Sometimes a criminal might get hold of your Mac, in which case Apple’s Find My service will come into its own.

In addition, every Mac with an M1-series, M2-series, or T2 chip has an Activation Lock feature that means they can be bricked remotely.

When Apple’s security measures aren’t enough…

It isn’t only when malware gets a certificate from a registered developer. In the case of OSX/Linker, a zero-day vulnerability in Gatekeeper was being exploited.

How Apple responds to security threats

Despite the security measures Apple has in place, from time-to-time there are threats to the Mac.

Apple has its own security research team, but it depends on users and independent researchers to help by reporting any flaws they find in Apple products.

How to keep your Mac safe from malware

Here are a few of the things you should do:

1) Keep macOS up to date

Despite what we said above about the security update Apple later retracted, normally the advice would be to install a security update as soon as possible.

You can find out about the latest version of macOS here: macOS Ventura latest version information.

You can set your Mac to automatically update as soon as a new version of the operating system is made available. Follow these instructions to set that up:

How to automatically install macOS updates

Open System Preferences.
Click on Software Update.
Tick the box beside Automatically keep my Mac up to date.
Or, click on Advanced and choose from automatically: Check for updates, download new updates when available, Install macOS updates and Install app updates from the App Store.

How to automatically install High Sierra or older software updates

Open System Preferences.
Click on App Store.
Tick the box beside Automatically check for updates.
You can choose to download the newly available updates, if you want them to install automatically though you need to make sure the box beside Install macOS updates is checked.

How to manually install macOS software updates

If you’d rather not let your Mac automatically update, you should periodically check to see if there is an update to your version.

In macOS High Sierra and earlier you can go to the Mac App Store and check for updates.
In macOS Mojave and newer you need to go to the Software Update pane in System Preferences.

For our in-depth guide to updating Mac operating systems, see How to update macOS.

2) Don’t connect to public Wi-Fi networks

3) Don’t install Flash

4) Keep Java up to date on your Mac

5) Avoid falling foul of phishing emails

6) Don’t fall for Facebook scams

Why you need to protect Windows users

Some years ago when writing about Mac malware we identified the following nasties on our Mac:

That is a list of 30 potentially bad things that… you guessed it, were found on the Mac we ran a test virus scan on, one of which was a Windows virus.

How to tell if a Mac has a virus

Look out for the following signs that your Mac has been infected with malware:

Aggressive web page banners and browser pop-ups recommending software.
Web page text turning into hyperlinks.
Programs appearing that you haven’t authorized.
Mac crashes.
Mac runs hot.
Mac speeds up for no reason.

If you think something suspicious is happening, open Activity Monitor and click on the CPU tab. Check what software is running – especially if something is hogging a lot of your resources.

Antivirus, Personal Software, Security

Best iPhone SE deals of June 2023

tigaman webdesign — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:08:34 +0000

Macworld

How much does the iPhone SE cost?

Apple’s most affordable iPhone starts at $429/£449. (And you can get it for less if you trade in an older qualifying phone.) The 2022 model is currently available in three configurations:

iPhone SE (2022, 64GB): $429 / £449 / AUD$719
iPhone SE (2022, 128GB): $479 / £499 / AUD$799
iPhone SE (2022, 256GB): $579 / £609/ AUD$969

That’s a slight price increase on the previous model. The 2020 iPhone SE is no longer available from Apple itself, but had the following MSRPs at launch:

iPhone SE (2020, 64GB): $399 / £399 / AUD$679
iPhone SE (2020, 128GB): $449 / £439 / AUD$759

(If you’re buying the iPhone SE we recommend that you avoid the lowest-capacity model. We explain in a separate article: Why you shouldn’t buy the 64GB iPhone SE.)

Where to buy iPhone SE (2022) SIM-free

The best option in the U.K. at time of writing is KRCS, which has the third-gen SE for £444.51: a dinky discount of £4.49.

You can check the best and latest offers in our automatic pricing tables, below.

iPhone SE (64GB), MSRP $429/£449

$429.00

View Deal

$429.00

View Deal

$429.99

View Deal

iPhone SE (128GB), MSRP $479/£499

$469.42

View Deal

U.S. readers should check the following stores:

U.K. readers, meanwhile, should check the retailers below.

Where to buy iPhone SE (2022) on contract

Try the following stores and carriers for the best iPhone SE contract deals.

U.K. readers can browse the best contract deals using the table below:

If you’d like to research further, try the following U.K. carriers:

iPhone SE (2020) deals

The iPhone SE model from 2020 is no longer sold by Apple itself, but there are good deals available from other vendors.

Where to buy the iPhone SE (2020) SIM-free

You’ll see the lowest prices from third-party retailers in the automatic pricing table below.

You can also buy the iPhone SE SIM-free from a number of other retailers. Try these U.S. stores:

U.K. readers should try the following:

Where to buy the iPhone SE (2020) on contract

You can pick up the iPhone SE from a number of different networks in the U.S. and U.K.:

U.K. contract providers:

We’ve also compared the original iPhone SE to the iPhone SE 2 if you want to know what kind of upgrades and differences to expect.

Trade-in discounts

Don’t forget you can save when you trade in your old qualifying phone with Apple or other retailers participating in a trade-in programme.

Amazon offers some good trade-in values, so you should see if you can get more there. Check out Amazon’s Trade In program in the U.S. U.K. readers can see how Amazon trade-in process works here.

Apple reseller KRCS also offers a trade-in scheme.

Refurbished deals

You can save on the iPhone SE by opting for a refurbished model. This is an excellent option for the second-gen model from 2020.

We have a dedicated guide on buying refurbished iPhones with everything you need to know, as well as the best refurbished iPhone deals.

iPhone

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro: Where to get the best deals

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 03 May 2023 15:07:10 +0000

Macworld

It’s been a long time since you could only buy an iPhone directly from Apple or from AT&T. Today, they are offered by all major carriers and big retailers, many of which try to entice you with special deals. Of course, you can still buy from Apple directly, either in-store or online, but the lowest prices can generally be found elsewhere.

If you haven’t yet put in your order for an iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro, this article will help you to spend as little money as possible. We provide a summary of the best deals and promotions offered by popular retailers, plus automatically updated price-comparison tables covering the wider market, all of which will help you find the very best deal on your new iPhone.

If you’re looking for other models, check out our overall Best iPhone deals roundup. And if your mind isn’t made up regarding which iPhone to buy, read our reviews and take a look at our Best iPhone chart.

Where to get the best iPhone deals

Buying direct from Apple is one of the few ways to buy an unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, 14 Pro or 14 Max, and it’s the go-to place to join the iPhone Upgrade Program. Apple will also let you trade in your old iPhone and get up to $720 in credit toward a new purchase. Find an unlocked or SIM-free iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max at Apple.

In the U.K. we frequently see Amazon discount iPhones–although the biggest discounts tend to be on the older models, such as the iPhone 13 or iPhone SE.

Best unlocked iPhone 14 series deals

U.K.

It’s possible to find deals on handsets bought unlocked in the UK, including the newest 14-series iPhones. We’ve spotted the following savings:

Amazon, iPhone 14: £764 (£85 off)
John Lewis, iPhone 14: £769 (£80 off, plus two-year warranty)
Amazon, iPhone 14 Plus: £854.97 (£94.03 off)
eBuyer, iPhone 14 Plus: £860.92 (£88.08 off)
Amazon, iPhone 14 Pro: £1,039 (£60 off)
Argos, iPhone 14 Pro Max: £1,139 (£60 off)

Best iPhone 14 series carrier deals

If you want to buy the latest iPhone for less than the full retail price, you’re probably going to need to get it from a carrier or mobile provider, and there will often be significant strings attached. These deals can be complicated, so be sure to read the fine print.

In the U.S., Apple partners with carriers to offer discounts on the 2022 iPhones. You get a $30 discount if you buy a phone activated on AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile/Sprint, however, if you shop around there are some good deals to be found.

U.S.

AT&T: Get up to $800 in bill credits when you buy a new iPhone 14 and trade in your old phone, with a qualifying unlimited plan.
T-Mobile: Get up to $800 in bill credits when you buy an iPhone 14 and trade in your old phone when you add a new line.
Verizon: Get up to $1,000 in bill credits toward an iPhone 14 Pro with trade-in and select Unlimited plans.

U.K.

Contract offers vary quite widely in price, but you’ll need to check the fine print and the perks and extras that are thrown in. You can browse the best current deals using the tool below; click ‘Choose Smartphone’ to filter by model.

Readers who would like to do their own research should try the following U.K. carriers:

Best iPhone 14 deals

iPhone 14 prices:

128GB: $829 / £849 / AUD$1,399
256GB: $929 / £959 / AUD$1,579
512GB: $1,129 / £1,179 / AUD$1,899

You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 14 by using our automated table below:

$799.00

View Deal

Best iPhone 14 Plus deals

iPhone 14 Plus prices:

128GB: $929 / £949 / AUD$1,579
256GB: $1,029 / £1,059 / AUD$1,749
512GB: $1,229 / £1,279 / AUD$2,099

You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 14 Plus by using our automated table below:

$899.00

View Deal

Best iPhone 14 Pro deals

iPhone 14 Pro prices:

128GB: $999 / £1,099 / AUD$1,699
256GB: $1,099 / £1,209 / AUD$1,869
512GB: $1,299 / £1,429 / AUD$2,219
1TB: $1,499 / £1,649 / AUD$2,569

You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 14 Pro by using our automated table below:

Best iPhone 14 Pro Max deals

iPhone 14 Pro Max prices:

128GB: $1,099 / £1,199 / AUD$1,899
256GB: $1,199 / £1,309 / AUD$2,099
512GB: $1,399 / £1,529 / AUD$2,419
1TB: $1,599 / £1,749 / AUD$2,769

You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 14 Pro Max by using our automated table below:

Where to get refurbished iPhone 14 deals

If you haven’t already, you may want to consider buying a refurbished iPhone 14 to save money (and the environment). Refurbished devices are thoroughly tested and repaired to work and look just like new. In the case of official Apple refurbished iPhones, you get a brand-new body and screen, box, accessories, battery, and warranty. It’s almost indistinguishable from buying a new iPhone.

See our full guide to buying refurbished or second-hand iPhones for more.

The first place to shop for a refurbished iPhone is on the Apple Refurbished Store. At time of writing, Apple does not yet offer refurbished iPhone 14 models for sale, but that could change at any time. Rest assured, the Apple Refurbished Store is where you can get the highest quality of refurbished iPhones.

You may want to shop at the following refurbished resellers instead:

U.S.

U.K.

iPhone

The best iPhone deals this month

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 03 May 2023 14:19:43 +0000

Macworld

You don’t have to pay full price to buy an iPhone; if you shop around you can find a bargain. Every month the Macworld team hunts down the best prices on iPhones at all major retailers and cellphone operators, saving you the hassle of finding the best iPhone deals.

In this article we reveal the best iPhone deals, contracts and bundles available right now. We’ll help you find a discounted iPhone suitable for any budget, and cover all eight currently available models, from the mighty iPhone 14 Pro Max down to the humble iPhone SE. We even round up the best prices on discontinued handsets.

If you’re buying a new iPhone, be sure to get a case: see our roundup of the best iPhone cases we’ve found so far.

Best iPhone deals right now

U.S. iPhone deals

In the U.S., the only big iPhone deals you can find come from carriers, and have a lot of strings attached. Typically, you have to buy a phone on a multi-year installment plan, and get your discount in the form of monthly bill credits.

AT&T: Get up to $800 in bill credits when you buy a new iPhone 14 and trade in your old phone, with a qualifying unlimited plan.
T-Mobile: Get up to $800 in bill credits when you buy an iPhone 14 and trade in your old phone when you add a new line.
Verizon: Get up to $1,000 in bill credits toward an iPhone 14 Pro with trade-in and select Unlimited plans.

U.K. iPhone deals

In the U.K. various resellers discount the iPhone so that users can upgrade without also updating their contract. There are some handy savings available right now.

Argos, iPhone 14 Pro Max: £1,139 (£60 off)
Amazon, iPhone 14 Pro: £1,039 (£60 off)
Amazon, iPhone 14 Plus: £854.97 (£94.03 off)
Amazon, iPhone 14: £764 (£85 off)
John Lewis, iPhone 13: £699 (£50 off, plus two-year warranty)
Amazon, iPhone 13 mini (512GB): £748.63 (£230.37 off)
Amazon, iPhone 13 mini (128GB): £599 (£50 off)
KRCS, iPhone SE (2022): £444.51 (£4.49 off)
Currys, iPhone 12: £599 (£50 off)

Where to buy an iPhone

Apple is the obvious place to look for a new iPhone. You can purchase directly from Apple’s online store (U.K.), which won’t give you savings, but does at least allow you to take advantage of trading in your old iPhone (see: How to sell or trade in your old iPhone). We also have a complete guide to every iPhone Apple sells.

Alternatively, Amazon U.K. regularly discounts iPhone models, so it’s well worth keeping an eye out there. If you think you’ll be doing lots of Amazon shopping, we’d recommend signing up to the 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime for free next-day delivery and access to deals 30 minutes early. You can sign up here.

Amazon U.S. offers fewer savings on SIM free iPhones, but we do see them from time to time.

It’s always worth checking the price of the iPhones in the following U.S. stores, which occasionally provide solid savings:

And U.K. readers should try these shops:

In addition we recommend you check out our automatically updated price tables, embedded below, which gather the best prices from a wide range of retailers in your region.

Where to buy an iPhone on contract

Most of the major networks will offer the iPhone at a discount if you meet certain conditions (usually opening new lines, or buying on multi-year installment plans). Here are links to browse the latest deals:

U.K. readers can browse contract deals using the tool embedded below. Click ‘Choose Smartphone’ to register which model you’re interested in.

If you’d like to research deals for yourself, try the following U.K. providers:

O2
Vodafone
Three
Virgin Mobile
EE
Sky Mobile
Carphone Warehouse (use the comparison tool by clicking View Deals, and remember to tick the box labelled “Show total cost of ownership”)

Best iPhone 14 Pro Max deals

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the biggest and most advanced iPhone from Apple. It’s pretty new, having launched in September 2022, so it’s not a huge surprise that there aren’t any significant discounts available just yet.

The 14 Pro Max starts at $1,099 / £1,199 (or less if you’ve got another iPhone to trade in).

Best iPhone 14 Pro deals

The iPhone 14 Pro jointly holds the title of most advanced iPhone currently available, but with more compact dimensions than the Max. It also launched in September 2022, so it’ll probably be a while before we start to see any big discounts.

The 14 Pro starts at $999 / £1,099 (or less if you’ve got another iPhone to trade in).

Best iPhone 14 Plus deals

The iPhone 14 Plus was an entirely new iPhone format for 2022. It’s the same as the iPhone 14, but in a bigger package… so if you want a larger iPhone you don’t have to fork out for the Max. The iPhone 14 Plus starts at $899/£949, or less if you’ve got another iPhone to trade in.

$899.00

View Deal

Best iPhone 14 deals

The iPhone 14 doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the iPhone 14 Pro, but it does offer Action Mode filming and the cameras are better than the iPhone 13. It launched in September 2022, but there are some moderate discounts available already.

The iPhone 14 starts at $799/£849, or less if you’ve got another iPhone to trade in.

$799.00

View Deal

Deals on older iPhones

That’s all of the new 14-series iPhones for 2022, but Apple sells four other handsets, plus you’ll still be able to find older iPhones on sale at resellers for some time–which could be a great way to pick up a new iPhone 13 Pro or 13 Pro Max, which Apple no longer sells.

Best iPhone 13 Pro Max deals

The iPhone 13 Pro Max was phenomenally powerful and well specced. Apple no longer sells it, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to buy one. Read our guide to the best iPhone 13 deals for dedicated advice on finding a low price on the four late-2021 Apple handsets.

You can find the iPhone 13 Pro Max in the following retailers and networks, assuming they haven’t run out of stock.

Apple used to sell the 13 Pro Max starting at $1,099/£1,049.

$633.89

View Deal

iPhone 13 Pro

Best iPhone 13 Pro deals

The 13 Pro had a smaller screen and battery than the Pro Max, but is otherwise basically identical. Given that it cost less (when Apple still sold it, at least) it will be a better option for many readers. Read our iPhone 13 Pro review for detailed analysis and testing.

Apple used to sell the 13 Pro for $999/£949.

$999.00

View Deal

iPhone 13

Best iPhone 13 deals

Apple does still sell the iPhone 13, and since the launch of the iPhone 14 the price is far more affordable than it was. If you buy the iPhone 13 you still gets the mega-fast A15 Bionic processor, 5G support, a superb twin-lens camera with the new Smart HDR 4, Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles, and improved battery performance compared with the iPhone 12.

Read our iPhone 13 review for the full picture.

If you want to buy one, the obvious starting point is Apple, where you’ll find that the iPhone 13 now starts at $699/£749 (it was previously $799/£779). As ever, trading in an older handset will earn you a discount if you purchase from Apple and some other resellers.

Unlike with the Pro models above, however, we are seeing some discounts on this model from other vendors, at least in the U.K.

Check the automated price table below for the lowest prices currently available from other retailers:

$729.00

View Deal

$829.00

View Deal

Best iPhone 13 mini deals

iPhone 13 mini

There is no iPhone 14 mini, so the iPhone 13 mini is the only small iPhone you can still buy (aside from the iPhone SE 3). In most respects it’s identical to the iPhone 13, simply squeezed into a smaller chassis and equipped with a smaller screen and smaller battery. That means you’re getting a great (but non-ProMotion) screen, 5G, a super-fast A15 processor and great cameras with Cinematic Mode.

Read our iPhone 13 mini review for more information and expert analysis.

Apple still sells the iPhone 13 mini for $599/£649 (was $699/£679). But we’d recommend looking elsewhere for deals. Check our automated table for the latest offers:

$663.20

View Deal

Best iPhone SE (2022) deals

The iPhone SE 3rd generation burst on to the scene in March 2022, and unites a fast chipset (the same A15 Bionic you get in all of the 13-series iPhones and the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus) with an affordable price tag. It’s good value at Apple’s MSRP, but other retailers may be able to do even better.

Read our roundup of the best iPhone SE deals for more in-depth buying advice.

You can still buy the iPhone SE direct from Apple, however it’s bad news if you’re in the U.K. as the price has been bumped up since it launched in March 2022: it was $429/£419 and now starts at $429/£449. That’s a price hike of £30!

Check our automatically updated chart for the very latest SIM-free offers from other retailers:

$429.00

View Deal

$429.00

View Deal

Best iPhone 12 deals

Despite it launching in 2020 Apple is still selling the iPhone 12. In our iPhone 12 review we praised the all-round qualities and suitability for the average buyer who doesn’t need the power of a Pro but won’t settle for a true budget pick like the iPhone SE. It remains fast and well specced… not to mention significantly cheaper than the other Face ID equipped iPhones.

Apple still sells the iPhone 12. Prices start at $599/£649 (was $699/£679 from September 2021-2022).

Check our automated comparison table for the very latest SIM-free prices:

$629.00

View Deal

Best iPhone 12 mini deals

Apple no longer sells the iPhone 12 mini – the smallest and cheapest of the late-2020 handsets, but you may be able to find one on sale. We cover the best iPhone 12 and 12 Pro deals in exhaustive depth in a separate article.

The iPhone 12 mini used to start at $599/£579.

$615.56

View Deal

See our deep-dive into the best iPhone 12 mini deals for more offers and deals. Just bear in mind that lots of stock shortages have been reported, so you might be waiting a while.

iPhone

Best iPhone SE deals of May 2023

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 03 May 2023 10:21:07 +0000

Macworld

How much does the iPhone SE cost?

Apple’s most affordable iPhone starts at $429/£449. (And you can get it for less if you trade in an older qualifying phone.) The 2022 model is currently available in three configurations:

iPhone SE (2022, 64GB): $429 / £449 / AUD$719
iPhone SE (2022, 128GB): $479 / £499 / AUD$799
iPhone SE (2022, 256GB): $579 / £609/ AUD$969

That’s a slight price increase on the previous model. The 2020 iPhone SE is no longer available from Apple itself, but had the following MSRPs at launch:

iPhone SE (2020, 64GB): $399 / £399 / AUD$679
iPhone SE (2020, 128GB): $449 / £439 / AUD$759

(If you’re buying the iPhone SE we recommend that you avoid the lowest-capacity model. We explain in a separate article: Why you shouldn’t buy the 64GB iPhone SE.)

Where to buy iPhone SE (2022) SIM-free

The best option in the U.K. at time of writing is KRCS, which has the third-gen SE for £444.51: a dinky discount of £4.49.

You can check the best and latest offers in our automatic pricing tables, below.

iPhone SE (64GB), MSRP $429/£449

$429.00

View Deal

$429.00

View Deal

iPhone SE (128GB), MSRP $479/£499

$469.42

View Deal

U.S. readers should check the following stores:

U.K. readers, meanwhile, should check the retailers below.

Where to buy iPhone SE (2022) on contract

Try the following stores and carriers for the best iPhone SE contract deals.

U.K. readers can browse the best contract deals using the table below:

If you’d like to research further, try the following U.K. carriers:

iPhone SE (2020) deals

The iPhone SE model from 2020 is no longer sold by Apple itself, but there are good deals available from other vendors.

Where to buy the iPhone SE (2020) SIM-free

You’ll see the lowest prices from third-party retailers in the automatic pricing table below.

You can also buy the iPhone SE SIM-free from a number of other retailers. Try these U.S. stores:

U.K. readers should try the following:

Where to buy the iPhone SE (2020) on contract

You can pick up the iPhone SE from a number of different networks in the U.S. and U.K.:

U.K. contract providers:

We’ve also compared the original iPhone SE to the iPhone SE 2 if you want to know what kind of upgrades and differences to expect.

Trade-in discounts

Don’t forget you can save when you trade in your old qualifying phone with Apple or other retailers participating in a trade-in programme.

Amazon offers some good trade-in values, so you should see if you can get more there. Check out Amazon’s Trade In program in the U.S. U.K. readers can see how Amazon trade-in process works here.

Apple reseller KRCS also offers a trade-in scheme.

Refurbished deals

You can save on the iPhone SE by opting for a refurbished model. This is an excellent option for the second-gen model from 2020.

We have a dedicated guide on buying refurbished iPhones with everything you need to know, as well as the best refurbished iPhone deals.

iPhone

Best deals on iPhone 12 (and iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro)

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 03 May 2023 07:39:54 +0000

Macworld

If you’re looking to buy an iPhone 12 (or 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max), now is a great time to hunt for deals. Retailers want to get rid of old stock, and there are great deals on the iPhone 12 range, whether you want to buy SIM-free or on contract. There are some great discounts on refurbished models too.

In this article we look at every major retailer and contract provider to find the best deals for the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. In a separate article we round up the best iPhone deals overall; we also look at the best Apple deals in an even broader article.

Find out how the iPhone 12 compares to the iPhone 13 mini, both of which start at the same price of $599/£649.

iPhone 12 range prices

The 12-series iPhones were launched in fall 2020, but since then we’ve seen some significant changes to the range in terms of price and availability.

When Apple released the iPhone 13 in September 2021, Apple discontinued the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max and dropped the price of the iPhone 12 and 12 mini. The following year, when the company brought out the 14-series handsets, the iPhone 12 mini was discontinued too, while the iPhone 12 got another price cut.

Here are the entry-level prices for each model (with the minimum storage allocation). We offer more detailed pricing information in the section for each model.

	Launch price	Fall 2021 price	Current price
iPhone 12 mini	From $699/£699	From $599/£579	Discontinued
iPhone 12	From $799/£799	From $699/£679	From $599/£649
iPhone 12 Pro	From $999/£999	Discontinued	Discontinued
iPhone 12 Pro Max	From $1,099/£1,099	Discontinued	Discontinued

While the 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are no longer available from Apple, they can be found (usually at a hefty discount) from other retailers, which are trying to get rid of stock to make room for the new models. Check the price-comparison tables below to find the lowest price.

Best iPhone 12 mini deals

How much does the iPhone 12 mini cost?

The smallest of the iPhone 12 range, the iPhone 12 mini features a 5.4-inch screen, which is only slightly larger than the iPhone SE (2022). Apple stopped selling it following the launch of the iPhone 14, but we can look at past prices to get an idea of what’s reasonable to pay now.

Here are the original launch prices, from fall 2020:

64GB: $699 / £699 / AU$1,199
128GB: $749 / £749 / AU$1,279
256GB: $849 / £849 / AU$1,449

And here are the reduced prices, from fall 2021:

64GB: $599 / £579 / AU$999
128GB: $649 / £629 / AU$1,079
256GB: $749 / £729 / AU$1,249

In other words, it would be reasonable to assume that Apple would have knocked off another $100 or so in 2022, just as it did for the standard iPhone 12, discussed below.

Best iPhone 12 mini SIM-free deals

You can keep up with the latest SIM-free prices across a wide range of retailers using our automated price-comparison table below. If the table isn’t showing, that means there are no available supplies in your region, and you’ll need to consider an alternative.

$615.56

View Deal

Best iPhone 12 mini contract deals

Here are the U.S. providers to check for iPhone 12 mini contracts.

U.K. readers should try the following:

Best iPhone 12 deals

How much does the iPhone 12 cost?

The standard iPhone offers a 6.1-inch display and is available in white, black, blue, green, purple and Product(Red). With the launch of the iPhone 13 range, Apple slashed £120/$100 off the iPhone 12’s price, and the price dropped again in 2022 when the iPhone 14 came out. This is what it costs right now if you buy direct from Apple:

64GB: $599 / £649 / AU$1,049 (Was $829 / £799 / AU$1,349 at launch)
128GB: $649 / £699 / AU$1,129 (Was $879 / £849 / AU$1,429 at launch)
256GB: $749 / £809 / AU$1,299 (Was $979 / £949 / AU$1,599 launch)

Best iPhone 12 SIM-free deals

You can browse the latest prices in our automated table below.

$629.00

View Deal

Where you can buy the iPhone 12

Here are the main retailers to check when shopping around for the best price on an iPhone 12:

U.K. readers should try the following:

Best iPhone 12 contract deals

Here are the U.S. contract providers to consider:

U.K. readers can browse the best contract deals using the table below:

But if you’re interested in doing your own research, you can try the following providers:

Best iPhone 12 Pro deals

How much does the iPhone 12 Pro cost?

The 12 Pro features a 6.1-inch screen like the standard iPhone 12 but has a much brighter display and a third (telephoto) lens on the back. The Pro and Pro Max are available in Graphite, Silver, Gold and Pacific Blue.

Apple discontinued the 12 Pro and Pro Max when it launched the iPhone 13, but you can still find it from other retailers. We’ve listed Apple’s original prices for the 12 Pro below:

128GB: $999 / £999 / AU$1,699
256GB: $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,869
512GB: $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,219

These were the prices when the device was brand new (back in fall 2020), so you should be looking to spend considerably less if buying today.

$836.11

View Deal

Best iPhone 12 Pro SIM-free deals

While you can no longer buy the iPhone 12 Pro directly from Apple, there are other retailers that still carry it. Check the following sellers if you’ve got time:

U.K. readers should try the following:

The automated price table below will show the best offers currently available, but stock shortages may mean it comes up empty (or doesn’t appear at all). In this case consider a refurbished model, which will also be cheaper. Try Decluttr in the U.S., or musicMagpie in the U.K.

$836.11

View Deal

Best iPhone 12 Pro contract deals

The following networks may still have the iPhone 12 Pro available on contract, but be prepared for disappointment at this stage.

U.K. readers should try the following:

Best iPhone 12 Pro Max deals

How much does the iPhone 12 Pro Max cost?

It’s been discontinued now, but here’s how much the iPhone 12 Pro Max cost at launch:

128GB: $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849
256GB: $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,019
512GB: $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,369

It’s very important to note that these were the prices when the devices were brand new. Based on what Apple did to the 12 and 12 mini prices in previous years, these would have dropped significantly if the company decided to keep the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max on sale.

In other words, you should be looking to spend a lot less than the launch MSRPs if you buy today.

Best iPhone 12 Pro Max SIM-free deals

You can compare prices from top retailers in our automated price table below. But stock is running low, and it may therefore come up empty or fail to appear.

Your best bet in fact, may be to buy a refurbished model, which will also be cheaper. Try Decluttr in the U.S., or musicMagpie in the U.K.

$729.00

View Deal

Best iPhone 12 Pro Max contract deals

You may struggle to find the 12 Pro Max on contract now that it’s been discontinued by Apple. The following networks are worth trying, however.

U.K. readers can try the following, but again, you may struggle to find a provider willing to offer the 12 Pro Max:

Where to get iPhone 12 cashback deals

The following retailers offer phones on contract from various networks and may have different deals to those you’ll find direct from the network. Many of these sites also offer cashback plans, if you want to save more in the long term.

Where to get refurbished iPhone 12 deals

If you haven’t already, you may want to consider buying a refurbished iPhone 12 to save money (and the environment). Refurbished devices are thoroughly tested and repaired to work and look just like new. In some cases, you might see some signs of wear–such as scuffs or scratches–but most retailers will indicate the condition of the device before you buy it. Typically, you’ll see A, B, and C grades, with A-grade devices showing no or very, very minimal signs of use and C-grade devices showing obvious signs of wear.

See our full guide to buying refurbished or second-hand iPhones for more on device grades.

The first place to shop for a refurbished iPhone is on the Apple Refurbished Store. Here you’re guaranteed that the device will be exactly like a new iPhone out of the box. Rest assured, the Apple Refurbished Store is where you can get the highest quality of refurbished iPhones.

You may also want to consider the following refurbished resellers, which are likely to offer lower prices:

Decluttr (known as musicMagpie in the U.K.)
Envirofone
Reboxed
4Gadgets
Smartfone Store

See our separate round-up of the best iPhone 11 deals, and for the best Apple deals 2021 see our dedicated deals hub.

About the iPhone 12 range

Apple launched the iPhone 12 range flagship phones at its ‘Hi, Speed’ Special event on October 13, 2020: a fitting title, given these were the first iPhones to feature 5G connectivity, the A14 Bionic processor and Neural Engine, which also appeared in the iPad Air 4 for advanced image processing.

While we’ve come to expect iPhones in three sizes, Apple introduced four models with the 12 range: the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, and a smaller iPhone 12 mini–again, all with 5G support.

The iPhone 12 and 12 mini feature a Ceramic Shield front, glass back, and an aluminum frame, while the top-tier Pro and Pro Max add a textured matte glass on the back and a stainless steel band to the mix.

Design aside, the Pro and Pro Max also feature an extra telephoto lens on the back, along with advanced photo and video capabilities, like AppleRAW support and recording and editing video in Dolby Vision. For everything there is to know about the new iPhone 12 range see this handy explainer.

iPhone

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro: Where to get the best deals this month

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 02 May 2023 16:36:16 +0000

Macworld

It’s been a long time since you could only get an iPhone directly from Apple or from AT&T. Today, they are offered by all major carriers and big retailers, and many of them want to entice you to buy with them by offering special deals. Of course, you can still buy from Apple directly, either in-store or online, but you can probably find a lower price elsewhere.

That’s particularly relevant if you’re looking at devices that Apple itself no longer sells. The company still sells the iPhone 13 (that link will also take you to the iPhone 13 mini), but it discontinued the iPhone 13 Pro when the 14-series handsets came out in fall 2022. If you want to go Pro, you’ll need to shop around other retailers.

If you’re in the market for a 13-series iPhone, then, you’ve come to the right place. This article offers a summary of the best deals and promotions offered by popular retailers to help you get the best deal. (If you’re considering other models, check out our overall Best iPhone deals roundup.)

Best unlocked iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 mini deals

Apple Store

Buying direct from Apple is one of the few ways to buy an unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 mini, and it’s the go-to place to join the iPhone Upgrade Program. Apple will let you trade in your old iPhone (in good condition) as credit toward a new purchase, too. In the U.S., Apple is once again partnering with carriers to offer discounts on the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13. You get a $30 discount if you buy a phone activated on AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile/Sprint.

You’ll always pay full price at the Apple Store, but it’s a direct and simple way to get an iPhone, and in some cases the only place to buy one without activating it on a mobile network.

Note that both the 13 and the 13 mini got a price cut when the iPhone 14 came out in 2022. At launch they started at $829 and $729 respectively, but this is what you’d pay now:

iPhone 13 mini prices:

128GB: $599 / £649 / AUD$1,049
256GB: $699 / £759 / AUD$1,219
512GB: $899 / £979 / AUD$1,569

iPhone 13 prices:

128GB: $699 / £749 / AUD$1,229
256GB: $799 / £859 / AUD$1,399
512GB: $999 / £1,079 / AUD$1,749

Best deals

You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 13 mini by using our automated table below:

$663.20

View Deal

Here’s a similar table for the iPhone 13:

$729.00

View Deal

$829.00

View Deal

Unlocked iPhone 13 Pro & iPhone 13 Pro Max deals

Things are a bit different here, because Apple no longer sells these handsets. If Apple had carried on selling them, they would have seen a price cut in 2022, but we’ll never know exactly how generous those cuts would have been. The best we can do when evaluating third-party deals is look at the launch prices from 2021 and demand a significant drop to take into account the passage of time.

iPhone 13 Pro prices at launch:

128GB: $999 / £949 / AUD$1,699
256GB: $1,099 / £1,049 / AUD$1,869
512GB: $1,299 / £1,249 / AUD$2,219
1TB: $1,499 / £1,449 / AUD$2,569

iPhone 13 Pro Max prices at launch:

128GB: $1,099 / £1,049 / AUD$1,849
256GB: $1,199 / £1,149 / AUD$2,019
512GB: $1,399 / £1,349 / AUD$2,369
1TB: $1,599 / £1,549 / AUD$2,719

Best deals

You can keep up with the best prices across a range of retailers for the iPhone 13 Pro by using our automated table below. If you see no deals, that means stock has run out in your local area; this is a common issue with discontinued products.

$999.00

View Deal

Here’s a similar table for the iPhone 13 Pro Max:

$633.89

View Deal

Carrier stores and contract deals

AT&T (U.S.)
T-Mobile (U.S.)
Verizon (U.S.)
EE (U.K.)
O2 (U.K.)
Sky Mobile (U.K.)
Three (U.K.)
Virgin Mobile (U.K.)
Vodafone (U.K.)

UK readers can also view the best current iPhone 13 contract deals in their area by perusing the table below.

Where to get refurbished iPhone 13 deals

If you haven’t already, you may want to consider buying a refurbished iPhone 13 to save money (and the environment). Refurbished devices are thoroughly tested and repaired to work and look just like new. In the case of official Apple refurbished iPhones, you get a brand-new body and screen, box, accessories, battery, and warranty. It’s almost indistinguishable from buying a new iPhone.

See our full guide to buying refurbished or second-hand iPhones for more.

The first place to shop for a refurbished iPhone is on the Apple Refurbished Store: Apple does now offer refurbished iPhone 13 models for sale. Rest assured, the Apple Refurbished Store is where you can get the highest quality of refurbished iPhones.

It is often the most expensive place to buy refurbished handsets, however, so you may want to try the following resellers instead:

BackMarket (U.S.)
Best Buy (U.S.)
Refurb.me (U.S.)
Gazelle (U.S.)
Reboxed (U.S.)
Music Magpie (U.K.)
Envirofone (U.K.)
Reboxed (U.K.)
4Gadgets (U.K.)
Smartfone Store (U.K.)

iPhone

techhive – Latest Apple News

How much can you save at Apple’s Refurbished Store?

What is the Apple Certified Refurbished Store?

What is available on the Apple Certified Refurbished Store?

Refurbished Apple Watch

Apple Watch Series 8

Refurbished iPhone

Apple iPhone 14

Refurbished iPad

Apple iPad Air (2022)

Refurbished MacBook

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M2, 2022)

Refurbished Mac

Apple Mac mini (M2, 2023)

Refurbished Apple TV

Apple TV 4K (2022) (64GB)

Other refurbished Mac sellers

Best iPhone SE deals of July 2023

Amazon Prime Day

How much does the iPhone SE cost?

Where to buy iPhone SE (2022) SIM-free

iPhone SE (64GB), MSRP $429/£449

iPhone SE (128GB), MSRP $479/£499

Where to buy iPhone SE (2022) on contract

iPhone SE (2020) deals

Where to buy the iPhone SE (2020) SIM-free

Where to buy the iPhone SE (2020) on contract

Trade-in discounts

Refurbished deals

Macs can get viruses, but do Macs need antivirus software?

Do I need antivirus for Mac?

How Apple protects Macs from viruses

How XProtect works

How Gatekeeper works

Sandboxing and related protections

Security updates

Password protection and Passkeys

Recording alerts

Pasteboard alerts

Safari protections

Photo privacy

Mail protections

iCloud+ protections

Safety Check

File encryption with FileVault

Warnings about spyware

Find My

When Apple’s security measures aren’t enough…

How Apple responds to security threats

How to keep your Mac safe from malware

1) Keep macOS up to date

How to automatically install macOS updates

How to automatically install High Sierra or older software updates

How to manually install macOS software updates

2) Don’t connect to public Wi-Fi networks

3) Don’t install Flash

4) Keep Java up to date on your Mac

5) Avoid falling foul of phishing emails

6) Don’t fall for Facebook scams

Why you need to protect Windows users

How to tell if a Mac has a virus

Macs can get viruses, but do Macs need antivirus software?

Do I need antivirus for Mac?

How Apple protects Macs from viruses

How XProtect works

How Gatekeeper works

Sandboxing and related protections

Security updates

Password protection and Passkeys

Recording alerts

Pasteboard alerts

Safari protections

Photo privacy

Mail protections

iCloud+ protections

Safety Check

File encryption with FileVault

Warnings about spyware

Find My

When Apple’s security measures aren’t enough…