Comments on: Apple: Yo, I Got Ya 'Wow' Right Here

By: Eric Welch

Eric Welch — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:01:10 +0000

It’s also been reported that many of the torrent users were actually buyers who didn’t want to wait for the FedEx truck to arrive. (See arstechnica.) My copy of Leopard was late because of a FedEx plane mechanical failure, complicated by the San Diego fires. I’m patient.

Breaking out the numbers here with a negative spin says more about the spinner than the spinee.

By: John Paczkowski

John Paczkowski — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:23:20 +0000

Perhaps. But it never would have read well – no matter how you finessed it.

“With free torrent downloads easily available over 24 hours before the official launch, Apple managed to sell only 2 million copies of Leopard to its supposedly “loyal” fan base.”
… In a statement issued Tuesday, a dismayed Apple admitted that first weekend sales figures for Leopard had far outpaced those of its predecessor OS X 10.4 Tiger, making it the most successful OS launch in the company’s history. “Early indications are that Leopard will be a huge hit with customers,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs, presumably refering to those who’d pirated the OS. “Leopard’s innovative features are getting great reviews and making more people than ever think about switching to the Mac.”

Apple shares closed Tuesday at US$187 – a new all-time high for the company.

By: Michael Long

Michael Long — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 05:25:46 +0000

I hate stories like this. I could just as easily written, “With free torrent downloads easily available over 24 hours before the official launch, Apple only managed to sell 2 million copies of Leopard to its supposedly “loyal” fan base.

Both stories would be equally correct, in that neither you nor I know exactly what impact all of those “free” copies had on sales.