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Recently, John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile, said in an interview that Apple's iPhone 6 Plus has sold much more than the company originally anticipated, Re/code reported.
The carrier and other industry experts thought the smaller iPhone 6 model would be the preferred device when Apple launched both of the smartphones around a month and a half ago. According to the source, T-Mobile forecasted iPhone 6 sales to account for 75 to 80 percent of new iPhone sales. However, the company reported the device's sales were actually closer to 55 percent at a certain time, which means the iPhone 6 Plus version was accounting for nearly half of new iPhone sales.
Currently, T-Mobile is the fourth-largest cellphone service carrier in the U.S. and even though the iPhone 6 Plus was at one point accounting for nearly half of the iPhone sales, Legere explained he wasn't for sure what the figures were at when he gave the interview, the source reported.
Apple products necessary for any carrier
According to 9 to 5 Mac, Legere said there were around only 100,000 people who used T-Mobile's "test drive" plan that let people use an iPhone on T-Mobile for a week absolutely free. Legere added all major carriers should have the iPhone available at their stores, and if customers don't have one that provides Apple devices, "you should crawl on your knees" and do whatever's necessary to get the new device.
Legere had some more harsh words for other carriers that don't have iPhones for sale, but he added that demand for the device made his company extremely busy through the release frenzy, Apple Insider reported.
"Overall demand for us was huge," Legere said in the interview, according to Apple Insider. "We got hammered by it."
T-Mobile's success aided by iPhone sales
The CEO is not shy about admitting his company's success has largely come from adding Apple's iPhones to their list of available smartphones. According to the source, Legere said it was one of his main goals as T-Mobile's new CEO to get the iPhone.
T-Mobile released its third quarter of 2014 results, which showed it had its best quarter ever with postpaid net added 1.4 million users. This helped bring total revenue to $5.7 billion, a 10.6 percent increase year-over-year.
The company had a goal to reach 250 million Americans on its 4G LTE network and easily met this mark in the third quarter of 2014. Additionally, the company has plans to reach 300 million Americans by the end of 2015.
The company reported that as of now, Apple iPhone devices represent 20 percent of T-Mobile's smartphone base, and the newest models are selling exceptionally well, Re/code reported.
Legere said in the interview that premium postpaid customers - those with contracts and a smartphone - have increased for T-Mobile dramatically over the last year, 9 to 5 Mac reported.
Apple's smartphone sales continue to dominate the headlines, and customers should do everything possible to protect their devices. Personal insurance can safeguard a smartphone by replacing damaged, stolen or lost devices.