Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Financial, iPhone
Analyst: Apple on track to sell 18m 3G iPhones this year
Jenny Lai, an analyst at CLSA Emerging Markets wrote in a report that Apple could sell as many as 18 million new iPhones this year. Lai covers news surrounding Hon Hai Precision Industry, Apple's iPhone manufacturing partner in China.
"The higher expectation on the 3G iPhone reflects attractive prices and a broader distribution channel (availability [in about] 70 countries)," she wrote.
Considering the year will be more than half over when the new iPhones are available in stores, this is (in my opinion) a pretty aggressive six-month target. (I'm no financial analyst, though.) According to a Dow Jones interview, six million iPhones have been sold since their introduction last year.
Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster agrees, saying that 12 million units this year "now looks like a lay-up." For 2009, Munster projects Apple could sell 45 million handsets. Compare that to the popular Motorola RAZR, which has sold 50 million units since 2005.
[Via Macworld.]


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
slimy33 said 4:09PM on 6-10-2008
I think not- the in store activation scared off all but two of the people that I know have iPhones.
And I know just about everyone that owns an iPhone, believe me.
Steve Jobs doesn't need to have a contract with AT&T for HIS 3G iPhone...
Reply
Robert Palmer said 4:12PM on 6-10-2008
So how is Josh doing lately? I haven't heard from him in ages.
slimy33 said 4:16PM on 6-10-2008
... saywhat? hmmmm...
Qugeist said 4:18PM on 6-10-2008
me too. I hope they won't force out the in-store activation.
Robert Palmer said 4:18PM on 6-10-2008
Well, I was just thinking, if you know just about everyone with an iPhone, then you know my friend Josh. You know, Josh. With the iPhone. How's he doing?
slimy33 said 4:21PM on 6-10-2008
You haven't heard from him in a while cuz his new Treo is acting up. Yeah, he jumped ship... Just to clarify, just about every CURRENT iPhone owner! ;-)
Le Big Mac said 4:51PM on 6-10-2008
Will they have enough time to sell that many given the in-store activation that's necessary?
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ljones said 5:38PM on 6-10-2008
Wonder if they consider the number of RAZRs some of us purchased. I went through 4 of those @#%*& phones!
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PSM said 5:43PM on 6-10-2008
It seems feasible to me. It sounds like a lot of current iPhone owners are upgrading, and there are probably many like me who waited for 3G and 3rd party apps, and then add in the huge number who were turned off by the high price of the original... and I'm just thinking about the US. I think the other 69 countries can handle the rest of that prediction.
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kevinm said 7:51PM on 6-10-2008
Sadly most of the purchases will be from those international. In-store activation with required data and voice doesn't bod well for me. I'm sure those in the EU and elsewhere will have a much happier experience.
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bobics said 6:14AM on 6-11-2008
What's wrong w/ in-store activation besides convenience?
Reply