Sprint and T-Mobile may get the iPhone 5

By Molly McHugh July 13, 2011

There is no shortage of iPhone 5 speculation, and the closer we get to fall the more you can expect it to ramp up. The latest rumor says that the handset will launch on all four major networks, adding Sprint and T-Mobile to the mix. Whether that it is the actual iPhone 5 or is instead the iPhone 4S is still unclear.

CNET says analyst Chris Larsen notes that the iPhone 5 will be available “on more networks, specifically Sprint and T-Mobile in the US.” He also says this would increase Apple’s market by 30-percent. Android has more and more become a force to be reckoned with. Given its growing industry presence and market share forecast, Apple is wise to consider easily boosting its own user base by expanding to all four major US carriers.

It would also make sense considering the unit shipments Apple has allegedly requested for the iPhone 5 (or possibly iPhone 4S). It was recently revealed that Apple had placed hardware orders for the handset, requesting 25 million units be built in 2011, a number that was called “quite aggressive.”

Last month we also heard that Sprint’s research and development team was internally testing the iPhone, but it was uncertain whether the iPhone 4 or iPhone 5 would be the first iOS device to make it to the carrier. There was the possibility that Sprint would introduce the iPhone 4 around the same time as the iPhone 5 makes its debut, a la Verizon’s iPhone unveiling. But now it sounds as if the real deal, next-gen model will be the carrier’s first iPhone.

And of course, T-Mobile customers have always been likely to get the device, considering its pending acquisition by the original iPhone peddler, AT&T.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…

Mobile

Are you having iPhone alarm problems? A fix is coming soon

A person holding the Apple iPhone 15 Plus.

If you’ve slept through an important meeting or missed your alarm lately, it may not be entirely your fault if you’re an iPhone user. For weeks now, iPhone users have been reporting on social media that their devices are no longer ringing.

Today, The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern finally confirmed this. According to Stern, Apple has confirmed that it’s aware of the issue causing some alarms not to play a sound and is working on a fix.
iPhone alarm issues explained
The iPhone alarm problem seems to be tied to Apple’s Attention Aware features. For those unfamiliar, it’s a feature that lowers the volume sound of your alerts and alarms if you’re looking at your device and avoids dimming the screen, similar to how Samsung phones keep the screen on if they see you looking at your screen.

Mobile

Best cell phone plan deals: T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Mint Mobile and more

Woman

One of the best phones deserves one of the best cell phone plans, and whether you’re shopping for yourself or you’re looking to add a line to your plan for a family member, there are more options out there than many people think. With larger carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile you can often find some great phone deals, but if you’re simply shopping for a cell phone plan, we’ve got all of the information you need to get yourself one of the best cell plan deals. Reading onward you’ll find the best cell phone plan deals to shop right now, and while these are general plans offered by each provider, they do include some of the best cell phone plans out there.
Mint Mobile: Get any 3-month plan for $15 per month
For a limited time, Mint Mobile has dropped the three-month price for all of its plans to just $15 per month. That means, the Unlimited plan, normally $30 per month, or $90 for three months, is no just $15 per month or $45 for three months. The base 5GB of data per month plan is $15 per month, and the 15GB per month plan is $15 per month, or $45 for three months. That is an incredible deal. All Mint Mobile plans include unlimited talk and text, access to 5GB high-speed data, free calling to Mexico and Canada, free mobile hotspot access, and WiFi calling support. You can't beat that!

U.S. Mobile: Pre-pay $23 per line per month
Prepaid wireless plans are a great option for light users, kids, and anyone else who won’t be consuming a lot of data on a daily basis. U.S. Mobile is one of the best prepaid service providers available today, allowing you to build your own custom plan, so you’re only paying for as many minutes, texts, and gigabytes of data as you want to. As just one example, its Unlimited Starter plan is just $15 per line, or $276 for 12 months -- saving you $72 per year. You get unlimited talk, text, and data, 10GB of hotspot data, international calling and texting, and more. If you're adding multiple lines to a plan, you can also unlock free extras like Disney+ and Netflix.

Mobile

Best iPhone 14 deals: Unlocked and refurbished

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro's camera module

While the iPhone 15 may be Apple’s most recent iPhone release, that only makes the iPhone 14 a better way to save. The iPhone 14 isn’t far removed from being among the best phones on the market, and it’s still a powerhouse option for most smartphone users. There are a lot of ways to save on an iPhone 14, with shopping refurbished models being one of the best. You'll get a good warranty and a large return window shopping refurbished with most major retailers, which makes them some of the best iPhone 14 deals you'll find. With so many to take advantage of right now, we thought we’d do the heavy lifting and put all of the best iPhone 14 deals together in one place. Reading onward you’ll find some impressive savings on all models of the Apple iPhone 14.
Apple iPhone 14 -- from $479, was $699

With the Apple iPhone 14 you’re getting what is still one of the most popular smartphones on the market. This is the iPhone 14 model that’s meant for everyone. It holds back a few features you can only get on the Pro model, but it still has an impressive 6.1-inch display, an impressive camera, and dozens of ways to personalize your iOS experience with widgets and fonts. The phone can reach up to 26 hours of battery life on a single charge, and it’s powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip. Face ID, emergency SOS via satellite, and super fast 5G cellular connectivity round out the top features of the Apple iPhone 14.
Buy Refurbished at Amazon — from $479