Apple has sold 5 million iPhones

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Jordan Golson

12/21/07 01:15PM

Filed to: Smartphones

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Apple will announce in January that it has sold 5 million iPhones, according to 9 to 5 Mac, an Apple rumor site. At the iPhone's launch, Steve Jobs set a public goal of selling 10 million iPhones — next year. With the iPhone only on sale for six months, that means Apple's already selling its sleek smartphones at 2008 speed. And that means Jobs could be set to beat his goal significantly next year.

Apple has been selling phones in the U.S. since June, and in parts of Europe since November. Apple's negotiating with carriers in China and Japan. If Apple can roll out in those tech-obsessed countries during 2008 — and analysts expect they will — Apple should soundly beat the 10 million goal. The next hurdle? Jobs hasn't said anything in public, but the so-called "whisper number" being passed around Wall Street is 50 million phones by 2009. In June, had Jobs floated that number, it would have seemed like a fantasy. If he were to float it at Macworld next month, it would strike most listeners as plausible. A reality distortion field, indeed. (Photo by AP/Paul Sakuma)

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jbelkin Jordan Golson 12/22/07 03:45AM

I guess success confuses people? iphone sales have virtually no effect on ipod sales - Apple is on track for another holiday quarter record in ipod sales... and as for the comment, Apple's internet advertising is suing fansites? WTH? Even if your disconnected statement were even remotely true, clearly it worked as even you know Apple and have heard of them ... so what is your point? Apple sues fan sites - sales and profits up to record levels ... What's your point again? I know amny of you in valley work for Apple myriad competitors who as the other reader pointed out, had the field to themselves to dozens of years and FAILED to deliver a product that consumers REALLY wanted and were/are willing to pay FULL PRICE for - and not reluctantly accept for $19.99 after rebate & a contract ... iPhone 92% satisfaction, RIM 50%, no other cell phone crosses 25% ...

your creepy uncle Jordan Golson 12/21/07 02:40PM

"And that means Jobs could be set to beat his goal significantly next year."

Or, it could mean that much of the demand has been met, and that the 95% of cell phone users who aren't Apple cultists and/or don't want to switch to AT&T will go with whatever their provider is pushing next time they upgrade.

And by the way, for a company that's supposedly so on viral and culty, they seem to be spending a lot of money on prime time TV.

Bla1ze Jordan Golson 12/22/07 03:22AM

Uhh seriously, this may say that 5 million iPhones were sold, but this does NOT take into account the number of people that have returned them either, I speak to a ton of people on a daily basis as I work for AT&T Data support and at least 10 of those calls begin with "Ya, Tried the whole iPhone thing,I hated it so now i'm back on my blackberry" or any other device you can think of that falls under "top of the line"...people bought into the hype of it all, even I was excited, till more and more reviews came out of what it can't do, then the hype was gone....cool, but doesn't live up too it's hype.

gildorn Jordan Golson 12/21/07 03:04PM

@26footjasontaylor: "And by the way, for a company that's supposedly so on viral and culty, they seem to be spending a lot of money on prime time TV."

Eh? Since when has Apple (especially its advertising) been "viral"? One of the biggest things they were known for was their 1984 Super Bowl ad. Yes, Super Bowl as in "mainstream." They've always spent a lot on ads. Look at the iPod ads that were airing pretty much constantly for the last five years. Before that was the CRT iMac ads. Before that was the PowerBook ads.