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iPad mini 6 now $120 off in Friday’s best deals, Apple Pencil 2 $79, AirPods Pro 2 $180, more

All of Friday’s best deals are here as we head into the weekend, with a new all-time low on Apple’s latest iPad mini 6 taking $120 off. It comes joined by Apple Pencil 2 at $79, matching its best-ever price at Amazon in the process. And if you don’t mind going with a Lightning charging case model, Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 have hit $180. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

Apple’s latest iPad mini 6 256GB falls to new Amazon low

Amazon is now offering the best price ever on Apple’s latest iPad mini 6. Right now, the 256GB Wi-Fi model sells for $529. It’s down from $649 and saves you $120 for the first time. This is $21 under our previous mention from December of last year, and is the first time it has been over $100 off since Black Friday back throughout Thanksgiving Week where it sold for $1 more than today’s discount. The base 64GB model is also on sale today, dropping to $400 from its usual $499 price tag. Our hands-on review notes just how perfect its size is without sacrificing on performance, as well. 

New iPads are coming, but we likely won’t be seeing the iPad mini 7 until far later in the year towards the end of fall. That makes today’s discount a great chance to save while still taking full advantage of the form-factor for most of 2024. As for what is actually going to be launching at Apple’s March event next month, we have the full rundown over in our pre-event coverage

Apple’s latest compact iPadOS experience arrives as the latest iPad mini 6. It may be the smallest one in the lineup, but still delivers many of the signature features you’d expect like an edge-to-edge 8.3-inch Retina display and Apple Pencil 2 support. Throw in the A15 Bionic chip and Touch ID in the power button to complete the package.

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Apple AirPods Pro 2 with Lightning charging case hit $180

Amazon is now offering the AirPods Pro 2 with Lightning charging case for $180. This discounts its Renewed Premium condition model from the original $249 going rate to the second-best price we have seen. It was $11 less back on Black Friday, which also happened to be last time that the Lightning version was on sale before this price cut. Today’s offer saves you $69 and provides a more affordable pair of Apple’s latest headphones for those who aren’t ready to make the jump over to a fully USB-C setup.

Amazon’s Renewed Premium listings deliver “like new” devices with no signs of cosmetic damage. Battery capacity is guaranteed to be at least 90% of the original charge, too. You’ll be getting generic packaging, but also a 1-year Amazon warranty in case these aren’t to your liking. 

Okay, back to the actual details on these Apple earbuds. Delivering all of the same features as the original pair, the new AirPods Pro 2 now arrive with some improvements like enhanced audio playback to pair with the upgraded ANC and new adaptive transparency mode tech. There’s still Spatial Audio support, as well as Hey Siri integration, just all packed into a refreshed charging case with Find My features, a built-in speaker, and a lanyard loop. 

Apple Pencil

Apple Pencil 2 drops to to $79

Amazon is now offering one of the best prices yet on Apple Pencil 2. The latest flagship iPad stylus drops down to $79 from its usual $129 price tag. This is $50 off and marking the second-best price to date. We’ve seen it down at $71 before, but that was back in December ahead of the holidays. Now, it’s on sale for the first time since while coming within $8 of that all-time low. This is the best Amazon has offered it for, too.

Apple Pencil 2 is far more compelling than just being used to make digital art, excelling as a note-taking tool on top of offering more precise input than your fingers. There’s a new hover feature that just rolled out for the M2 iPad Pros, and the accessory will snap right onto the side of your device to charge and for storage. It’s compatible with everything from the more affordable iPad Air 5 to the Pro models and even Apple’s compact iPad mini.

HomePod 2

Save on Apple’s new HomePod 2 with Matter and Thread

B&H is offering the first HomePod 2 discount in months today. Apple’s latest Siri smart speaker drops to $285 in both Midnight and White styles from the usual $299 going rate. It’s the second-best price cut to date, too, coming within $5 of the all-time low. We last saw it on sale back over Black Friday, and now we’re tracking the first chance to save since. Get the full scoop in our launch coverage.

Apple’s new HomePod 2 delivers much of the same hi-fi listening as before, just with a refreshed build to go alongside the second-generation status. There’s still Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support to complement the beamforming sound and room-sensing tech that automatically tunes drivers to your surroundings. New this time around is onboard Thread and Matter support to complement all of Siri’s smart home prowess, as well as a U1 chip for quick music handoff. Apple has built a temperature and humidity sensor into the speaker, all of which is powered by a new S7 chip that results in better sounding audio than the original model.

ecobee’s latest HomeKit SmartThermostats on sale for first time in months

Amazon is now offering the ecobee SmartThermostat Premium for $220. This is down from the usual $250 price tag in order to save you $30. It’s the second-best price to date and is on sale for the first time since Black Friday – when it was also at this same price. We’ve seen it go for $7 less once before, but that was back in August during a 1-day sale. It’s still one of the first chances to save on the more recent flagship release, too. You can dive into our hands-on launch coverage for a better idea of what to expect.

The ecobee SmartThermostat savings also roll over to its Enhanced model today. This one is down to $170 from its usual $190 price tag. It saves you $20 and matches our previous mention as this year’s holiday shopping season discount. This model packs much of the same redesigned housing as the lead deal, just with a toned-down feature set. There’s no Siri, but Alexa still makes the cut. The bundled temperature sensor noted above is also dropped on the more affordable model, too.

Best trade-in deals

9to5Mac also keeps tabs on all the best trade-in deals on iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch, and more every month. Be sure to check out this month’s best trade-in deals when you decide it’s time to upgrade your device, or simply head over to our trade-in partner directly if you want to recycle, trade, or sell your used devices for cash and support 9to5Mac along the way!

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