Apple shows Coke how it's done with an almost all-analog, shot on iPhone 17 Pro holiday ad

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Apple shows Coke how it's done with an almost all-analog, shot on iPhone 17 Pro holiday ad News By Lance Ulanoff published 27 November 2025

No AI (or even CGI) for them

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I'm not gonna lie, I love puppets, so perhaps I'm a bit biased when it comes to Apple's latest "Shot on iPhone 17 Pro" commercial that features forest-animal puppetry and, more notably, not a lick of AI.

Sure, Apple might be avoiding AI because of the "where's the AI version of Siri" elephant in the room, but I think this approach is just spot-on for triggering warm, fuzzy holiday feelings. And while you might imagine it's a rejoinder to the poorly-received Coca-Cola all-AI holiday ad, surely Apple's been working on this three-minute spot, which launched today, for months.

Apple Holiday | A Critter Carol | Shot on iPhone 17 Pro - YouTube Watch On

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In the ad, a couple hiking through the forest lose their Deep Blue iPhone 17 Pro. Soon, a scruffy-looking bunch of forest creatures find it, and then, as animals so often do, they start using the phone to shoot themselves singing a song (which they then left for the couple once they've used Apple's Find My to locate the lost phone).

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It's a lot more clever than it sounds. The animal puppets are adorably rendered, looking very much like they've been living in the forest for their whole lives. Plus, the animals do not all just get along. At one point, a wolf eats the rat, but is soon encouraged to spit him out. There's even a bit of dark humor involving what they'd do if one were run over.

The point of the film is how, perhaps, we can all get along despite our differences, and how good the iPhone 17 Pro is at video. For what it's worth, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are two of my favorite smartphones of the year and among the best phones of 2025. They're fantastic everyday devices and powerful photography and video-shooting phones.

I enjoyed the commercial, but the behind-the-scenes video is far more interesting. It reveals the full extent of the craftsman nature of the whole enterprise. Each puppet was handcrafted and operated by a team of puppeteers, most of whom were dressed in blue body suits so they could be scrubbed out in the post-process.

(Image credit: Apple)

Even the set is real – not a real forest, mind you, but a real stage platform to support the puppets and puppeteers.

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Again, this is a smart and canny way for Apple to show off features like the shooting quality and 8x zoom (a sensor crop).

Ultimately, I think this very real commercial will be remembered long after people forget Coca-Cola's latest AI ad misstep.

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New customers: $200 eGift card with switch at VerizonIf you've been thinking about making the switch, then now's a great time to consider jumping over to Verizon. The carrier is currently offering a handy $200 gift card for new customers with an eligible smartphone purchase and an unlimited plan. Not only is this a great little gift that can be used to offset any plan bills, but it's a promotion that technically stacks with all the other excellent Verizon Black Friday deals currently available below.

View DealBig value

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max: free with a new unlimited line, plus free iPad and Apple Watch at VerizonVerizon has just upped the ante with its Black Friday deals today, with this incredible promotion on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. For the first time ever, you don't need to trade-in to get this device for free alongside a new unlimited line. On top of that, you can also throw in a free iPad and Apple Watch. Previously, that's a promotion that's only been available on the cheaper 17-series devices. Even better still, this deal is eligible on the higher-end Ultimate and mid-tier Plus plan, so you're not technically tied into the priciest option here if you don't want it. Deal!

View Deal

Apple iPhone 17: free with a new unlimited line, plus free iPad and Apple Watch at VerizonAnd, that same Verizon deal is also available on the standard iPhone 17. On paper, this one might not seem quite as good value as the 17 Pro Max deal above, but it's worth noting that the free iPhone 17 is available on the entry-level Welcome Unlimited plan, which makes it a better option for the budget-conscious. You can also throw in a free iPad and Apple Watch here, although note you will have to pay extra for accessory cellular lines, and these lines don't get any bundle discounts on the Welcome plan. If you're looking to bundle, I would go the whole way and grab the iPhone 17 Pro Max on the higher-end plan.

View DealRare T-Mobile deal

Apple iPhone 17 Pro: free with a new unlimited line, plus free iPad and Apple Watch at T-MobileT-Mobile's biggest and best deal on the iPhone 17 Pro gets you the device - plus a free iPad and Apple Watch - on a new Experience Beyond plan this Black Friday week. This kind of deal is pretty rare for T-Mobile, so it's a definitely a Black Friday highlight if you're eying up an upgrade. Overall, a strong deal, although the usual caveats apply here: the Experience Beyond plan is the pricier option at T-Mobile, and you also need to take out cellular lines on those accessories to claim them.

View DealGreat for families

Apple iPhone 17: four devices for free on an unlimited plan (no trade) at T-MobileHere's another incredible Black Friday special from T-Mobile; one that's particularly good for families. Right now, you can get four iPhone 17 for free on an unlimited data plan without the usual trade-in criteria. By itself, that doesn't sound ground-breaking, but the real magic here is in the details. Plan eligibility for this deal includes the carrier's entry-level 'Essentials' plan, which comes out at just $100 per month for four lines. Yep, that means you can get four free iPhone 17 on four lines that average out at just $25/mo each.

View Deal

Apple iPhone 17 series: up to $1,100 off with trade, plus cheap iPad and Apple Watch at AT&TAT&T's headline Black Friday deal on the iPhone 17 series is similar to Verizon's in that it gets you a super cheap iPad and Apple Watch alongside your phone. Again, you do need to take out pricey accessory cellular lines to claim the other devices here - and they're also $0.99 per month each, which feels a little stingy when you're paying $20+ for the cellular lines. What is good, however, is AT&T's trade-in rebate of up to $1,100 on the phone itself, which is enough to cover the entire cost of the iPhone 17 Pro.

View Deal

Apple iPhone Air: was $27.78 now $12.99/mo with a new unlimited plan at AT&TIf you're not dead-set on trading-in for a big discount at AT&T this week, you could consider the carrier's Black Friday deal on the iPhone Air. Right now, no trade-ins are needed to get it for under half price alongside a new line on an unlimited data plan. You can also throw in an iPad and Apple Watch for just $0.99/mo each currently, but the required accessory cellular lines can make you pay a fair bit more on your plan, so the deal on the phone is the best here.

View Deal

Best cheap Black Friday iPhone deals

Starts November 28th

Apple iPhone 16 series: get a $75 gift card, plus up to $670 off with a trade-in at AppleApple is just about to launch its big 'gifting' event, so it's worth waiting if you're looking for an unlocked iPhone 16. The official retailer will be throwing in a $75 gift card alongside devices, which is a nice little bonus - if somewhat underwhelming! This is in line with what Apple usually offers over Black Friday, and it's pretty useful for bagging discounts on things like AirPods or chargers. As always, the main selling point here is the trade-in rebate of up to $670, which remains your sole option if you're looking for a discount on an unlocked device.

View Deal

Apple iPhone 17 series: get up to $670 off with a trade-in at AppleAnnoyingly, Apple's Black Friday gifting promotion doesn't extend to the latest iPhone 17 series. If you're looking at one of these devices, then you can get the standard trade-in rebate of up to $670 right now. In isolation, not a great deal, but you can pair this one up with the various Black Friday deals that are being offered by prepaid carriers like Mint Mobile or Visible Wireless just below.

View Deal

Apple iPhone 14: free with a new Visible Plus Pro planUse the code BLUEDEAL at checkout to get yourself a free iPhone 14 alongside a new line on Visible's Plus Pro plan today. No trade-ins are needed at all to get this still-great device free-of-charge on one of the best prepaid unlimited plans on the market right now. Note, however, that all colors aside from Blue are sold out already, so it's worth picking this one up sooner rather than later.

View Deal

Apple iPhone 16e: was $599, now $99 with a plan at Boost MobileBoost Mobile's iPhone deals have really come into force in recent years and this Black Friday special on the iPhone 16e is a fantastic option. While the device itself isn't free, you can get it for just $99 alongside a line on the carrier's $60/mo premium unlimited plan - which is easily the best plan at the carrier. It's a plan that includes 50GB of premium 5G data per month, so it's a particularly good option if you're a data-heavy user.

View DealIn-store only

Apple iPhone 16e: get a free phone with a 3-month unlimited plan at Total WirelessThis Black Friday special from Total Wireless is only available in-store but it's absolutely worth considering if that's not too much of a hassle. Right now, you can get this new device, which is still valued at $599, for free alongside a number port-in at the carrier. Note, if you can't visit in-store, then you can still get an impressive $300 off this device - although I don't believe that's a Black Friday special.

View Deal

Black Friday iPhone deals: buying advice

Lance UlanoffSocial Links NavigationEditor At Large

A 38-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist, Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.

Lance Ulanoff makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Mark, the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC. 

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