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Cyber Monday 2019 best phone deals: Save hundreds on iPhone, Samsung, Pixel and OnePlus (Tuesday update)

You can still get up to $400 off an iPhone 11 or $500 off a Galaxy S10. There's also massive savings on the Pixel 4 plus free gift cards from Walmart and Best Buy.

Eli Blumenthal Senior Editor
Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports. He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today.
Expertise 5G, mobile networks, wireless carriers, phones, tablets, streaming devices, streaming platforms, mobile and console gaming,
Eli Blumenthal
4 min read

Cyber Monday is over, after pulling in a vast amount of cash, but if you're looking to upgrade your phone, there's still a chance you can nab  iPhones Samsung Galaxy  phones, Google Pixel phones and other Androids on sale. The discounts vary widely -- some of these deals require going through a specific carrier, while others are available unlocked. Many other discounts are given in the form of a gift card to be used in-store at retailers like Walmart and Best Buy (helpful for future holiday shopping!).

If you're thinking about changing carriers or adding a new line to your current service, keep in mind that most providers have offers in place where you can get a free new Samsung Galaxy or iPhone if you trade in your old phone year-round, not just for the holidays. At  Best Buy , for instance, you can get up to $575 off an iPhone 11, 11 Pro or Pro Max. We've got more of the best upgrades and unlocked discounts, including from  Amazon  in our article below, so read on. 

For even more post-Cyber Monday shopping deals, see our roundup of the best deals under $30best deals for $100 and under, and if you're a big spender, check out our list of the best deals under $250

What are carrier installment plans? 

Before we dive into the deals, it's important to quickly clarify what exactly you're signing up for with carrier installment plans. If you're not buying unlocked, nearly all of these offers require you to upgrade on one of these plans, which means you're agreeing to pay your carrier (AT&T or Verizon for the bulk of these deals) a monthly fee for your phone for 24 to 30 months depending on the plan. After that point, the phone is yours.

This is different than leasing programs like Sprint's Flex, in which after a shorter period of 18 months, the carrier still owns the phone. After that period is done, you can either keep paying for six more months to own the phone, buy it out in one shot or return it and upgrade.

These agreements can help keep your phone's total price low, but they also function as a way to keep you tied to the carrier. If you do want to switch, however, keep in mind that the remaining balance becomes due, often at the regular, nondiscounted monthly rate. 

The good news is that most carriers have year-round deals to get you to switch, frequently offering to pay out your existing installment plan balance if it means you'll leave your current carrier and join their network.

The OnePlus 7 Pro was one of 2019's most impressive phones when it launched earlier this year, and it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. OnePlus is taking $150 off of its unlocked 7 Pro. While not as powerful as the 7T, it still features a Qualcomm 855 processor, runs Android 10 and has 8GB of RAM with 256GB of storage. Available unlocked, the phone will work with AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile's 4G LTE networks. 

Those looking to save little more can also trade in their phone to OnePlus. The deal is available now, and I hope you're a fan of gray, because the other colors are already sold out.

Best Buy's iPhone 11 deal is great if you're looking to upgrade from a recent phone like the iPhone X, XR or XS. The retailer is offering up to $400 off if you're trading in one of those devices in good, working condition and buying an iPhone 11, 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max. You'll need to be on AT&T, Verizon or Sprint and purchase the new device on your carrier's installment plan, with the total discount varying based on the phone you're trading in and the carrier you're using. 

Older phones will get a discount, but it won't be as substantial as a recent iPhone. Regardless, you'll need to go into a physical Best Buy store to get the deal.

Like with the iPhones, Best Buy has some aggressive offers for those looking to upgrade their Galaxy phones offering between $200 and $300 off on the latest Galaxy phones, so long as you upgrade on an AT&T, Verizon or Sprint installment plan.

The deal requires you to head to a Best Buy store and the actual trade-in discount will vary depending on the phone you're trading in and the carrier you're upgrading on. The deal also extends to the Galaxy S10 Plus 5G on Verizon and Sprint, as well as the Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G on Verizon.

Like Best Buy, Walmart still has strong Galaxy deals, including offering a $450 virtual gift card with the purchase of a Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, S10 5G (on Verizon), Note 10 and Note 10 Plus on an AT&T, Sprint or Verizon installment plan. Those looking for an S10E or Note 9 will get a $300 eGift card.

Local stores will do something similar, but you'll want to check the hours and stock before heading in. Verizon and AT&T users can upgrade online, but Sprint users will need to do the whole process in stores.

If you're looking for an unlocked Pixel 4, you can save $200 at Amazon. The store is selling the phone unlocked, which means it should work on all four major carriers.

Originally published last week. Regularly updated with new deals.

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