T-Mobile USA's iPhone 5 Sales Hit 500,000 Units

As part of its first quarter earnings release today, T-Mobile USA revealed that its iPhone 5 sales stand at approximately 500,000 units less than a month after the device debuted on the carrier. The carrier also launched the iPhone 4 and 4S in limited markets where the devices are compatible with its networks, but T-Mobile did not specify how many units of those models it has sold.

"Our first quarter operating metrics and financial results are showing positive impact from the changes we began making in the fourth quarter. Branded customer net additions turned positive for the first time since the first quarter of 2009 and our postpaid business has demonstrated significant improvement," said John Legere, President & CEO of T-Mobile. "We ended the quarter with strong operational momentum, which is continuing into the second quarter, driven by the successful launch of our Un-carrier "Simple Choice" service plan and the introduction of the iPhone into our device line-up. Things only get more exciting from here, having brought T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS together to create the wireless industry's value leader and premier challenger."

T-Mobile also announced that success with its Bring Your Own Device campaign continued during the first quarter, adding 100,000 iPhones per month from customers switching to the carrier even before it officially began offering the iPhone.

tmobile_iphone_pipes


Comparing T-Mobile to other U.S. iPhone carrier launches, Sprint sold 1.8 million iPhones in its first quarter of availability in late 2011, although that debut took place within the context of the brand-new iPhone 4S launch. Earlier that year, Verizon activated 2.2 million iPhones in its first two months of availability.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Already Selling Out

Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
Tim Cook WWDC 2018

Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'

Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said. While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's 2026 Mac Plans

Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio. MacBook Air (Early 2026) The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
walmart new ornametns

Walmart Black Friday Deals Begin Today With Low Prices on Headphones, TVs, and More

Friday November 14, 2025 7:55 am PST by
Walmart's Black Friday sale has officially kicked off today, with an online shopping event that's also seeing some matching deals in retail locations. There are quite a few major discounts in this sale, including savings on headphones, TVs, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...

Top Rated Comments

Kabeyun Avatar
164 months ago
Whats the deal with that pink stuff coming out of the pipe? :confused:

I think T-mobile is teaming up with McDonalds.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Meandmunch Avatar
164 months ago
If by "so close" you mean almost half a year away... then yes... we are "so close."

Honestly. It is really dumb for some to be putting off an iPhone purchase right now to wait for a new iPhone model to be released in about 5 months.
I agree, if you can wait 5 months you might as well wait 6 months, no make that 8, why not a year? Extending that logic further you might as well wait another year and then hell another after that, never ever buying a new iPhone because the new one is right around the corner. And by that I mean one more orbit of the earth around the sun. The new iPhone is technically always, right around the corner. Stay thirsty my friend.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleMark Avatar
164 months ago
iPhone is doomed.... :rolleyes:

"The reports of my [iPhones] death have been greatly exaggerated" - Mark Twain.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nfl46 Avatar
164 months ago
Not bad at all considering we are so close to the iPhone 5S, and most are aware of it.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ToomeyND Avatar
164 months ago
Is that a picture of the t-mobile shareholders' collective "response" to selling the iPhone?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrisbru Avatar
164 months ago
Honestly 500K seems low to me when the iPhone sells millions and millions of units a month.

T-Mobile isn't as big of a carrier as Verizon or AT&T.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)