Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Retail, iPhone
UK iPhone sales reportedly strong
Mobile Today, which tracks mobile trends in the UK, is reporting today that the 3G iPhone is selling very well. Specifically, retailers are averaging 27,000 phones sold per week.That's good news for Apple, especially since the 3G launch went rather poorly in the UK. Specifically, activation issues were rampant and ongoing. Sound familiar, Americans?
Apple and O2 are hoping for continued strong sales during the holiday shopping quarter. Considering O2's a pay-as-you-go option, they just might get it.
[Via MacNN]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Graham Stevens said 5:01PM on 9-11-2008
Strong...
9 weeks x 27000 = under 250000!
Good but is that strong? Maybe it is in UK mobile terms. Do we have any comparison?
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Tony said 6:48PM on 9-11-2008
Not really. The UK market is pretty saturated and everyone has a phone (I read recently that it's at 105% saturation, meaning everyone has a phone plus a bit :p).
By your figures it's about 0.4% of the market. Explains why I've still not seen anyone else with one...
I don't think we're wowed with phones the way they are in the US. Everyone is happy with their Nokias that cost them nothing and make calls/send texts... lots of people I've seen have said the iphone is cool, but not for them, for various reasons. Even Blackberry hasn't made much (or any, locally) impact here.
There was a graph showing the relative strengths of each manufacturer in the US and EU and it was telling just how different they were... the US had huge proportions for Blackberry, Apple and some others. The EU was mostly Nokia, almost no Apple and only a thin line for Blackberry.
vermaak said 5:08PM on 9-11-2008
I just got 4 iPhones for our company (only 4 employees). Speaking to O2's iPhone team and their stores they currently have good stock in the UK of 8gig and the black and white 16gig models! So they have plenty to sell.
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MIchael said 5:25PM on 9-11-2008
I went into the o2 shop last Saturday with my partner to upgrade from my first gen iPhone to 3G, and it was almost funny that at one point we both looked around the shop and EVERY sales person was selling an iPhone to a customer. It as as if no other phone existed in that shop. Almost put me off getting one actually.
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Reg said 9:49PM on 9-11-2008
Does anyone know what O2's policy on unlocking the iPhone is if you buy it on a PAYG basis?
For other phones, I understand O2 requires you to have been a customer 12 months. For the iPhone, I heard that they categorically will never unlock it, but this doesn't seem to be stated anywhere on their website.
Anyone confirm?
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Steve said 4:31AM on 9-12-2008
So, what's thelatest rumour about the iPhone on Orange in the UK?
Mate of mine rang Orange yesterday to tell them he was leaving for O2, reason: iPhone. The agent said he could be making a mistake and although wouldn't confirm anything, pointed him to a website containing the Orange iPhone rumour about October being when it will be announced.
Anyone else heard anything since the original posting?
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donnacha said 8:05AM on 9-13-2008
Compared to other European countries, especially Ireland and Germany, the iPhone tariffs in the UK are excellent: I went for the 1,200 minute £45 rate because of the additional £100 subsidy i.e. I worked out that I would be paying only £4.50 per month extra (over 18 months) for the extra 600 minutes and, if you even only occasionally stray above 600, that is worth it.
BTW, I absolutely would not have bought the iPhone if I considered the tariffs a rip-off, and I think that is the primary reason why the iPhone is doing so well here. The iPhone telcos in Ireland and Germany would do well to pay attention.
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