iPhone 5 debuts to lines, crowds, and commercials on T-Mobile
On Friday, Apple's iPhone finally launched on T-Mobile, the United States' fourth-largest wireless carrier, with customers able to pick up Apple's bestselling smartphone on T-Mobile's new UNcarrier pricing structure.
Customers line up ahead of T-Mobile's iPhone launch. Image via BTIG Research's Walter Piecyk (@piecykw)
Depending on creditworthiness, customers can pick up a 16GB iPhone 5 for just $100 down followed by 24 monthly payments of $20 until the full cost of the phone is paid off. The device will have access to T-Mobile's newly-active 4G LTE network, available in seven markets across the US.
While not as big as the launch of a fully new Apple device, there have been reports of lines forming in front of T-Mobile retail stores ahead of the iPhone's launch. BTIG Analyst Walter Piecyk tweeted an image on Friday of about ten people in line waiting for the device. Likewise, TechCrunch reports that its own intern saw a small line outside of a New York T-Mobile Store.
AppleInsider's calls to a number of T-Mobile stores were unable to get an exact figure for the number of iPhone 5 units sent out, with one attendant saying only that "we have quite a few in both colors." Multiple T-Mobile retail outlets contacted, though, did verify that they saw small lines outside their locations before opening, and some reported a "full store" some time after opening for business hours.
Internal documents obtained by TmoNews revealed that T-Mobile had prepped more than 240,000 iPhone 5 units for dispersal to company-owned retail stores for sale on Friday.
Those documents also show that T-Mobile is setting a one-device limit per customer per 14-day period. Customers who showed up early to wait in line were apparently provided with tickets to reserver a device. Non T-Mobile customers can buy up to two iPhone 5s per transaction at the "Phone Only" full price.
TmoNews also spotted a number of in-store displays for the iPhone 5, showing off the device in a minimalist fashion. Additional in-store displays show off a number of cases for the device.
T-Mobile customers will also be able to choose from the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4, though those devices will not be able to access the carrier's 4G LTE network.
T-Mobile's new data plans include 500 megabytes of high-speed online data and unlimited calls and texts for $50. For an extra $10 per month, users get 2.5 gigabytes of high-speed data, while unlimited 4G access runs $70 per month. In addition, users are simply throttled, not penalized, when they go over their data cap.
T-Mobile also launched on Friday its very first commercial highlighting Apple's bestselling smartphone on its network. The commercial touts not only the iPhone 5, but T-Mobile's own pricing plans as well.
Last among the major American carriers to adopt the 4G LTE standard, T-Mobile is hoping the arrival of Apple's iPhone on its network can, along with its new payment plans, reverse a trend that has seen subscribers departing for its competitors. The event to launch the new payment plans was filled with colorful language from T-Mobile CEO John Legere. Legere said T-Mobile's contract-based competitors were taking advantage of customers and characterized the UNcarrier plans as a way to "stop the [nonsense]."
Customers line up ahead of T-Mobile's iPhone launch. Image via BTIG Research's Walter Piecyk (@piecykw)
Depending on creditworthiness, customers can pick up a 16GB iPhone 5 for just $100 down followed by 24 monthly payments of $20 until the full cost of the phone is paid off. The device will have access to T-Mobile's newly-active 4G LTE network, available in seven markets across the US.
While not as big as the launch of a fully new Apple device, there have been reports of lines forming in front of T-Mobile retail stores ahead of the iPhone's launch. BTIG Analyst Walter Piecyk tweeted an image on Friday of about ten people in line waiting for the device. Likewise, TechCrunch reports that its own intern saw a small line outside of a New York T-Mobile Store.
AppleInsider's calls to a number of T-Mobile stores were unable to get an exact figure for the number of iPhone 5 units sent out, with one attendant saying only that "we have quite a few in both colors." Multiple T-Mobile retail outlets contacted, though, did verify that they saw small lines outside their locations before opening, and some reported a "full store" some time after opening for business hours.
Internal documents obtained by TmoNews revealed that T-Mobile had prepped more than 240,000 iPhone 5 units for dispersal to company-owned retail stores for sale on Friday.
Those documents also show that T-Mobile is setting a one-device limit per customer per 14-day period. Customers who showed up early to wait in line were apparently provided with tickets to reserver a device. Non T-Mobile customers can buy up to two iPhone 5s per transaction at the "Phone Only" full price.
TmoNews also spotted a number of in-store displays for the iPhone 5, showing off the device in a minimalist fashion. Additional in-store displays show off a number of cases for the device.
T-Mobile customers will also be able to choose from the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4, though those devices will not be able to access the carrier's 4G LTE network.
T-Mobile's new data plans include 500 megabytes of high-speed online data and unlimited calls and texts for $50. For an extra $10 per month, users get 2.5 gigabytes of high-speed data, while unlimited 4G access runs $70 per month. In addition, users are simply throttled, not penalized, when they go over their data cap.
T-Mobile also launched on Friday its very first commercial highlighting Apple's bestselling smartphone on its network. The commercial touts not only the iPhone 5, but T-Mobile's own pricing plans as well.
Last among the major American carriers to adopt the 4G LTE standard, T-Mobile is hoping the arrival of Apple's iPhone on its network can, along with its new payment plans, reverse a trend that has seen subscribers departing for its competitors. The event to launch the new payment plans was filled with colorful language from T-Mobile CEO John Legere. Legere said T-Mobile's contract-based competitors were taking advantage of customers and characterized the UNcarrier plans as a way to "stop the [nonsense]."
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Depending on creditworthiness, customers can pick up a 16GB iPhone 5 for just $100 down followed by 20 monthly payments of $20 until the full cost of the phone is paid off. The device will have access to T-Mobile's newly-active 4G LTE network, available in seven markets across the US.
Shouldn't that be "24 monthly payments of $20"?
Quote:
Originally Posted by NasserAE
Should that be "24 monthly payments of $20"
No, 20 payments is correct.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
No, 20 payments is correct.
Not according to T-Mobile website.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jungmark
Don't these guys know demand is down, the screen is "too small" and the iPhone isn't "cool" anymore. /s
Poor sheeple don't know yet /s
Quote:
Originally Posted by NasserAE
Should that be "24 monthly payments of $20"
LOL no it's not - already have mine with 24 payments...
It's 24 monthly payments.
For whatever reason, when the T-Mobile iPhone 5 plan was announced a while ago, some websites wrote 20 months, while others wrote 24 months.
And since this is the age of the internet, where false information regularly gets repeated and copied, without any checks or verification at all, some sites and sources continue to spread incorrect information.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
It's 24 monthly payments.
For whatever reason, when the T-Mobile iPhone 5 plan was announced a while ago, some websites wrote 20 months, while others wrote 24 months.
And since this is the age of the internet, where false information regularly gets repeated and copied, without any checks or verification at all, some sites and sources continue to spread incorrect information.
and never corrected.
People lining up for a product two quarters after it was first introduced!?
This news must kill Androiders.... (and poor Samsung).
(Double post; deleted).
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
People lining up for a product two quarters after its was introduced!?
This news must kill Androiders.... (and poor Samsung).
Being able to pick up a brand new iPhone 5 today for only $100 upfront, and with no contract sounds like a pretty good deal.
T-Mobiles reception improves with their updates
Quote:
Originally Posted by NasserAE
and never corrected.
True, especially when it comes to Apple related rumors.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
Being able to pick up a brand new iPhone 5 today for only $100 upfront, and with no contract sounds like a pretty good deal.
Doesn't the subscriber have to pay the remainder of the $480 owed on the handset if (s)he walks away from the contract?
Upper right sidebar at this link: https://explore.t-mobile.com/iphone-5
For the past few days my iPhone 4s has displayed "T-Mobile 4G" in the status bar. This has never happened before. I assume I am still capped at 3G?
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
Doesn't the subscriber have to pay the remainder of the $480 owed on the handset if (s)he walks away from the contract?
The $480 owed on the phone can be paid in full at any time I believe, and if they were to immediately leave T-Mobile, then yes, I do believe that it has to be paid.
It's like a 0% apr loan.