Roger Fingas
T-Mobile USA has so far seen preorders for the iPhone 6s rise 30 percent higher than those for the iPhone 6 last year, according to CEO John Legere.
Legere made the claim on Twitter while announcing his company's special trade-in plan for people wanting an iPhne 6s. People can trade in an iPhone 6 and get a 6s on lease for just $5 per month, or hand in an iPhone 5s and pay $10 per month.
Relatively little is known about the success of iPhone 6s preorders so far. Apple has run out of launch-day delivery stock though, and two days after preorders began, the company said it was "on pace" to beat the 10 million units it sold during the 2014 launch weekend for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
For people wanting one of the new phones at launch, the best bet may now be to line up at participating retail stores early on Friday morning. These include Apple Stores, carrier stores, and some third-party resellers.
Analysts have expressed concern that iPhone 6s and 6s Plus sales could be relatively soft in comparison to the blockbuster numbers for their predecessors. The latter were the first iPhones with large screens comparable to Android rivals, and the 6s series is a relatively modest evolution, mostly adding 3D Touch, faster processors, and better cameras.
AppleInsider Staff
Malcolm Owen
Oliver Haslam
Andrew O'Hara
Wesley Hilliard
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
30 Comments
But...but...but....it's only a minor upgrade from the 6. Who'd waste money to buy what's essentially the same phone again?
T-Mobile's promise of much better coverage due to their new spectrum caused me to give them a try this time. Plus they are giving a 30 day no questions asked return policy in case one doesn't like their service.
[quote name="Robert Mark" url="/t/188443/t-mobile-ceo-says-iphone-6s-preorders-up-30-percent-over-iphone-6#post_2781148"]T-Mobile's promise of much better coverage due to their new spectrum caused me to give them a try this time. Plus they are giving a 30 day no questions tsked return policy in case one doesn't like their service.[/quote] So what you're saying is that this has less to do with The success of the 6S, and more to do with T-Mobile becoming a more attractive carrier -- the result of which would mean ATT, Verizon & Sprint would then report fewer 6S sales than the 6. Of course if all the carriers are up, then it's the 6S. It's an interesting question for sure. Makes me wonder if direct sales by Apple have gone up at the expense of the carriers. Buying direct from Apple has always been my preferred method of buying a phone. I don't think I've bought anything from a carrier since my Motorola Razr, but clearly not for everyone.
That's not what I said. I would have purchased the 6s to get its new features, regardless of the T-Mobile offer. I find T-Mobile's unlimited free streaming attractive since I'm using CarPlay now.
[quote name="Robert Mark" url="/t/188443/t-mobile-ceo-says-iphone-6s-preorders-up-30-percent-over-iphone-6#post_2781157"]That's not what I said. I would have purchased the 6s to get its new features, regardless of the T-Mobile offer. I find T-Mobile's unlimited free streaming attractive since I'm using CarPlay now. [/quote] Thanks for clarifying, clearly there are compelling reasons to buy the 6S even for those who own a 6 already. However, the way you phrased it raised the issue, that it could very well be T-Mobile's policies that have attracted more customers who are leaving their old carriers as they upgrade to the 6S. Definitely a possibility. I'd be curious to know if there Is a statistic as to how many iPhone users upgrade every model, vs. the 2-year carrier contract model, and after 3+ years. Most people I know allow that 2 year contract to rule them. I personally have ATT unlimited internet which will probably keep me tied to them until they drop that option, or someone else comes along with a more compelling plan that offsets my corporate discount as well, with good coverage in most areas I frequent. I keep thinking the next iPhone will have a feature I can't have unless I switch plans. Hot Spot tethering was almost one of those for me.