This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2019, your source for the season’s best gifts and deals, hand-picked by the experts at CNET. Black Friday is in the rear-view mirror, but there are still plenty of great savings on phones to be had. To save you time, we’ve put together a lineup of the best deals still available on iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, Google Pixel phones and more.If you’re thinking about changing carriers or adding a new line to your current service, 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. At Best Buy, for instance, you can get up to $500 off an iPhone 11, 11 Pro or Pro Max. We’ve got more of the best upgrades and unlocked discounts, including from Amazon and Target, in our article below, so read on. For even more Cyber Monday shopping deals, see our roundup of the best deals under $30, best deals for $100 and under, and if you’re a big spender, check out our list of the best deals under $250. (As always, prices here are accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change.) 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. Black Friday iPhone deals still available Angela Lang/CNETBest 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 $500 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
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