Originally published November 20, 2018; all of these promotions have expired. Verizon’s Black Friday 2018 campaign was a group of different offers, not one universal price cut. The clearest deal was $400 off selected Android flagships—including the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL and Galaxy Note 9—without a reported trade-in requirement. Apple’s offers were more conditional: $300 off an iPhone XR, XS or XS Max required a new line, while an upgrade with a trade-in received $100 off.
Quick verdict
- Best reported no-trade-in smartphone offer: $400 off the Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9/S9+ or LG V40.
- Most straightforward iPhone offer: $400 off the iPhone X during the Thursday–Friday window.
- Newer iPhone offer: $300 off the iPhone XR, XS or XS Max with a new line and device-payment plan, or $100 off for an upgrade with a trade-in.
Verizon announced the campaign on November 20, 2018. The contemporary announcement is archived by BGR.
Verizon’s 2018 smartphone offers
| Phones | Advertised saving | Trade-in | Reported timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, LG V40 | $400 | Not required in the contemporary announcement | Online Thursday, November 22, through Friday, November 23, 2018 |
| Other Android phones priced at $400 or more | $200 | Not required in the contemporary announcement | Online Thursday, November 22, through Sunday, November 25, 2018 |
| iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max | $300 with a new line; $100 for an upgrade | Required for the $100 upgrade offer | Terms tied to the applicable new-line or upgrade promotion |
| iPhone X | $400 Thursday–Friday; $200 Saturday–Sunday | Not required in the contemporary summary | November 22–23, then November 24–25, 2018 |
“No trade-in” did not mean “no conditions.” Activation, account eligibility, a device-payment agreement and qualifying service could still apply, and the surviving announcement does not provide every account or device restriction.
Android: the strongest headline discount
$400 flagship tier
The Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ and LG V40 were placed in Verizon’s top Android tier at $400 off. The contemporary report described these as not requiring a trade-in. The offer was still associated with Verizon’s device-payment structure rather than an unconditional cash markdown.
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$200 for other qualifying Android phones
Other Android phones with a reported price of at least $400 qualified for $200 off. This was a broader category, but it did not mean every Android model qualified; the $400 price threshold and promotion terms mattered.
iPhone: separate deals with different eligibility rules
iPhone XR, XS and XS Max
Verizon advertised $300 off these three models when a customer added a new line and used a device-payment plan. An existing customer upgrading received $100 off only with a trade-in. Therefore, the iPhone XS was not equivalent to the Pixel 3 or Note 9 offer: the larger iPhone credit required a new line, and the upgrade credit required giving up an eligible phone.
iPhone X
The older iPhone X had a separate schedule: $400 off online from Thursday, November 22, through Friday, November 23, followed by $200 off from Saturday, November 24, through Sunday, November 25. The contemporary summary did not list a trade-in requirement for this offer.
Was the saving taken off at checkout?
Generally, no. Verizon described the promotion in terms of monthly bill credits over 24 months, or until the device was paid in full. A $400 headline saving therefore represented promotional value spread across the financing period, not necessarily $400 removed from the initial checkout balance.
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- $100 over 24 months: $4.17 per month
The actual 2018 credit schedule may not have been perfectly uniform. Taxes, activation or upgrade fees, the remaining device balance and the cost of Verizon service were separate from the advertised saving.
Why the 24-month commitment mattered
The economic formula was device payments plus qualifying service, taxes and fees, minus credits actually received. Canceling the line, moving to a non-qualifying plan or otherwise ending eligibility could stop future credits and leave the unpaid device balance due. Verizon’s current explanation of this general promotion risk is available in its device-deals FAQ; it should not be read as proof that every 2018 term was identical.
Exact Black Friday timing
- Thursday, November 22, 2018: the strongest online offers began.
- Friday, November 23: Black Friday in-store availability was reported, and the $400 Android and iPhone X windows ended.
- Saturday, November 24: reduced iPhone X and some other promotions continued.
- Sunday, November 25: the $200 broader Android promotion and the reduced iPhone X offer ended.
- Monday, November 26: some Fios promotions continued through this date.
Online, corporate-store and authorized-retailer inventory or execution could differ. A period Verizon community thread contains anecdotal reports of iPhone X availability problems, but it is not evidence that every location was out of stock: Verizon community discussion.
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Other Verizon Black Friday 2018 promotions
The phone discounts were only part of the announcement:
- A sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPad was advertised at $99 with an eligible iPhone purchase on a two-year contract.
- The Palm companion device was $150 off with an eligible smartphone purchase on a two-year contract or device payment.
- The JBL LinkView was listed at $149.99.
- The Google Home Hub was listed at $99.99, described as a $50 saving.
- Qualifying new residential Fios Gigabit customers could receive a year of Amazon Prime and an Amazon Echo under the reported terms.
- Other Fios Gigabit customers could choose a $100 Amazon gift card, Ring Video Doorbell 2 or a year of Xbox Game Pass.
- Qualifying business Fios Double Play or Triple Play customers agreeing to a reported two-year term could receive a $350 prepaid Visa card.
These were separate bundles with their own eligibility and timing, not additional reductions on the phones.
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Who benefited most?
Shoppers avoiding a trade-in
The Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL and Galaxy Note 9 were the clearest choices if keeping an existing phone mattered. Their reported $400 Android credit avoided the trade-in condition attached to the iPhone upgrade offer.
Existing Verizon customers
An upgrade made sense only after comparing eligibility, the trade-in value, any upgrade fee, the cost of keeping or changing the plan, and the 24-month credit period. Adding a line solely to obtain the $300 iPhone credit could cost more than the device saving.
People wanting flexibility
An unlocked purchase or a retailer promotion could be preferable for someone planning to switch carriers, pay off the phone immediately or avoid a long carrier-credit commitment. Contemporary BGR coverage also tracked retailer alternatives, including Best Buy promotions, but their complete terms differed from Verizon’s and should not be treated as interchangeable: BGR’s November 2018 archive.
How Verizon compared with T-Mobile
Contemporary coverage characterized Verizon’s offers as generally less aggressive than T-Mobile’s. T-Mobile often paired larger promotions with a trade-in and an additional line, while Verizon’s Android offers were more attractive to shoppers who wanted to keep their existing phone. Comparing only the headline dollar amounts would miss those different requirements.
Current status
None of the 2018 offers is available now. The Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Galaxy Note 9, iPhone XS and iPhone XR are legacy models, not current Verizon Black Friday inventory. For present-day promotions, consult Verizon’s live Black Friday deals page and check the current plan, trade-in and financing terms before ordering.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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