The S Is for “Sales,” Not “Speed”…
by John Paczkowski
Posted on June 22, 2009 at 5:41 AM PT
Looks like Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster’s second estimate of Apple’s weekend iPhone sales underestimated demand just as badly as his first. Apple didn’t sell 500,000 units of its new iPhone 3GS over the weekend, as Munster first predicted. Nor did the company sell 750,000 units as he said in a research note this morning. It sold over one million. Moreover, downloads of Apple’s new iPhone 3.0 software, launched last Wednesday, have already reached six million.
“Customers are voting and the iPhone is winning,” Apple CEO Steve Jobs said a press release today. “With over 50,000 applications available from Apple’s revolutionary App Store, iPhone momentum is stronger than ever.”
An impressive showing. Particularly considering all the factors that could slow sales: The souring economy, competition from the Palm (PALM) Pre, the BlackBerry Storm, the T-Mobile G1 and, of course, the iPhone itself. After all, there is now a $99 iPhone on the market. Beyond this, there’s the fact that the 3GS was launched in eight countries. The 3G debuted in 21.
Interestingly, this is the first time we’ve seen Jobs quoted in an Apple release in some time now. As best I can tell, the last quote attributed to him was in a Jan. 21, 2009, earnings release. Since then, Apple (AAPL) has issued 22 more press releases. This is the first in which it is Jobs, and not COO Tim Cook or Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, who is quoted. Does this mean he’s officially back at work following his medical leave? I’ve put that question to Apple and will update if I hear back.
[Image credit: Gizmodo]
Comments
Can we have a link to the press release please?
Posted by Steven Riggins at June 22nd, 2009 at 5:58 amIt wasn’t available at the time of writing, Steve. Apple’s only just posted it now. You’ll find it here:
Posted by John Paczkowski at June 22nd, 2009 at 6:04 amhttp://www.apple.com/pr/librar.....phone.html
Best reporting of this story I’ve seen. Thanks.
Posted by dmitri smyslov at June 22nd, 2009 at 7:59 amThat is great news (the sales numbers and the fact that Jobs is back). We upgraded both our 3Gs to 32 GB 3GSs last Saturday (with T-Mobile in Germany), paid the penalty for swapping early and sold our 2 16 GB 3Gs today. Bottom line: 2 brand new phones, twice as fast, twice the capacity, great new features and almost 700 USD profit… Will pay for a nice weekend in Paris next week.
Thanks for not reporting on liver issues!
Posted by Uwe Rueckeshaeuser at June 22nd, 2009 at 11:18 am