T-Mobile CEO Reports Strong iPhone 16 Sales, Surpassing Previous Model

'Nonsense': T-Mobile CEO Balks at Reports That iPhone 16 Models Aren't Selling

T-Mobile's early sales for iPhone 16 have led to more sales this month than the same period last year and it's not just cheaper models. T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert says the new iPhone 16 is selling ahead of the device hitting store shelves Friday. Analysts had predicted that sales would suffer because the much-hyped Apple Intelligence feature won't be available until at least October. Apple's stock slid after the response. Apple Intelligence features will include AI-powered writing and photo tools and improved Siri capabilities. CNBC's Jim Cramer sat down with Sievert Wednesday and said the "services say that [iPhone 16 sales are] already bad." Cramer then asked how poorly the phone was selling. Sievert says sales for the new phone with iOS 18 are on the up -- and it's not just the cheaper models. "The first week was better than last year," Sievert said. "Not only good, but better than last year, and people are buying Pros, they're buying Maxs, so they're buying up the food chain, and they're buying at a greater rate than last year." Related: Here's Why Apple's Slow and Steady Approach to AI Could Be Beneficial Sievert also said he expects a longer buying cycle due to the feature delays and word-of-mouth reviews once the new AI features are released. Apple's new phones include a new physical Camera Control button to make taking pictures easier and enhanced battery life. The new Apple iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199.

T-Mobile CEO says his company is selling the iPhone 16 'at a greater rate' than last year's model

In a Wednesday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert said his company was seeing more sales of the iPhone 16 than last year's series of the smartphones. "The first week was better than last year," Sievert said. "Not only good, but better than last year, and people are buying Pros, they're buying Maxs, so they're buying up the food chain, and they're buying at a greater rate than last year." Apple is set to release the iPhone16 in stores on Friday, widely touted for its new artificial intelligence capabilities. However, the AI features won't be present for the phones' first launch, with a beta version of the program set to come out next month. Some analysts predicted that there's less demand for the product than expected -- perhaps somewhat due to the AI feature delay -- which caused Apple shares to slide. But according to Sievert, the iPhone16 is in demand, although the delay may lengthen the buying cycle. He said it may take longer for customers to share their experience with the new product "by word of mouth" because of the features' postponement. Sievert also reviewed announcements the company made at a conference it held on Wednesday. T-Mobile increased its customer target to 12 million over the next several years, and Sievert said it figured out how to get "even more capacity" out of its 5G network. Siebert also said T-Mobile "put a stake in the ground" on the AI front, as the company shared it would partner with Nvidia, Nokia and Ericcson to "design and drive the future of mobile networks with AI at the center." "It's going to take a few years," Sievert said. "We're only half way in to this 5G revolution, it's been around five or six years, but we're now turning the page and starting to architect with our partners what future networks will look like to make sure everybody has a better signal in the future."

Apple iPhone 16 Selling At A 'Greater Rate Than Last Year,' Says T-Mobile CEO Amid Reports Of Lower Demand: 'People Are Buying Pros, They're Buying Maxs...They're Buying Up The Food Chain' - T-Mobile US (NASDAQ:TMUS), Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Ahead of the official release of Apple Inc.'s AAPL iPhone 16, T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS CEO Mike Sievert has shared promising sales figures for the new model, indicating a strong start despite earlier concerns about demand. What Happened: In an interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer on Wednesday, Sievert revealed that the iPhone 16 is outperforming last year's model in sales. "The first week was better than last year," Sievert noted. He emphasized that customers are purchasing higher-end models, contributing more to Apple's top and bottom lines. "People are buying Pros, they're buying Maxs, so they're buying up the food chain, and they're buying at a greater rate than last year," Sievert said, according to the report. Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox. Although the iPhone 16 will hit stores on Friday, its much-anticipated AI features will not be available until next month. Some analysts had predicted lower demand due to this delay, increasing pressure on the Apple stock. However, Sievert stated that demand remains strong and the delay might extend the buying cycle. He believes it will take longer for customers to share their experiences due to the postponed features. See Also: Oracle's Larry Ellison Predicts Police Officers Will Be Supervised 'At All Times' And Citizens Will Be On Their Best Behavior Thanks To Constant AI-Powered Surveillance Why It Matters: The positive sales report from T-Mobile comes amid concerns about the iPhone 16's market performance. Top analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that pre-orders for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max were lower than expected during the first weekend, with around 37 million units sold. Kuo's analysis, based on supply chain surveys and pre-order data, suggested weaker demand for the Pro models, contrary to Sievert's comments. Further, early pre-order data indicated that demand for the iPhone 16 might be lower than anticipated due to insufficient reasons for existing iPhone owners to upgrade. Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link. Read Next: Steve Jobs Came Back To Apple 27 Years Ago Today After 12 Years In Exile. If You Invested $1,000 When Jobs Became Apple CEO In 1997, Here's How Much You'd Have Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Apple Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs