Could Apple Sell 10 Million iPhones in a Quarter?
When Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone in 2007, Apple famously set their goal at selling 10 million units in 2008. They hit that goal in October. Now, in 2009, is it possible to imagine Apple selling that many iPhones in just one quarter?
Apple just reported 7.4 million iPhones sold in Q4 2009, and that wasn’t even their traditionally best quarter, the holidays. Digitimes is now reporting that Apple has increased their orders to manufacturers Foxconn and Primax by 17-20%, and even then demand is expected to still outstrip supply until November. If they could meet that demand how close to 10 million could they get?
Likewise, as Canada and the UK roll out on multiple carriers, the US is still exclusive to AT&T. Were that to change next year, along with another new generation of iPhone, would 10 million be on the table?
The iPod, even in its decline, is still selling over 10 million a quarter for Apple. The iPhone doesn’t have the family of models the iPod does (rumors of iPhone nano notwithstanding). Is that something Apple has to address first, or is the one-model-to-rule-them-all, with close to 100,000 apps, the formulae to stick with?
October 27th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Vtp please go jump of a bridge and die!
October 27th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Off a bridge***
October 27th, 2009 at 9:26 am
With China on board, the potential is certainly there.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:48 am
The Reptile is correct. Apple gets going in China and 10 million will be easy.
As to different models of iPhone I don’t get that at all?? iPhone nano sounds like terrible idea to me. A jailbroken 3G is still a kick butt phone and soon that will probably cost $99 without contract.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:32 am
why does the first person to comment. On he never comment just say first. Morons
October 27th, 2009 at 10:33 am
APPle should be able to do it with sales abroad and over seas.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I think apple should be able to do this.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:42 am
The iPhones being released in China, new deals with multiple networks and the next gen comes out next year. The iPhone should do 10 Mill next quarter easy.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
If the iPhone were coming out on Verizon today, coupled with the holidays being their strong quarter and other international carriers rolling the iPhone out in the next couple of weeks, they could hit 10m in a quarter without breaking a sweat. There are lots of Verizon people who would switch to an iPhone in a minute if their carrier were supported. Then again, there is also this rash of compelling new phones coming out (HD2, Droid, etc.) that should pull some market away from the iPhone. We shall see it’s going to be interesting.
October 27th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
I thought China was getting a flat out 5 mil phones? Either way I think it can be done easily. And it doesn’t even have to go to Verizon. Orange is picking it up and another one. I can’t remember. But I think with the holidays coming people are probably waiting. Sucks for all the kids getting new 3G[S] iPhones that aren’t going to be jailbreakable for a while. Jailbreaking sucks anyway.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
They’ll get 10 million in a quarter at some point. If not these holidays, probably with the launch of the next iPhone. Verizon isn’t getting the iPhone IMO