Comments on: Though Apple says iPhone 3G sales soar, global sales prove otherwise

By: BD

BD — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:34:44 +0000

Here’s a question for the author and other Apple doubters. If someone walked up to you and said you could answer yes or no to whether you believed Apple would sell at least as many iPhones for 2008 as they claimed they would . . . and if you were wrong, you would be killed. How many of the doubters or naysayers (many of whom I believe have a hidden agenda) would vote AGAINST Apple? I believe the number would be very, very small.

By: Triston McIntyre

Triston McIntyre — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:20:53 +0000

additionally, I don’t think you really understand what a straw man is. Rhetorically speaking, the straw man is a tool by which you first establish the qualities and noteworthy points of one entity (or straw man), and then discourse why you feel that isn’t true. Thought you’d like to know, as you seem to be an expert on writing.

By: Triston McIntyre

Triston McIntyre — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:18:04 +0000

Kyle, you’re bringing up the issue from the perspective of AT&T’s success…though Apple does get kickbacks from contracts, I was more broadly speculating about the implications of the sales. I don’t care for AT&T, but you’re right…good for them.

But just like you said that Apple didn’t sell 700,000 the first iPhone launch, who is to say that they’ve sold that many iPhones this time around? You’re using the point to illustrate that Apple may have legitimately sold 1 million this time where they only sold a quarter before, whereas I’m saying apply that same logic to the current situation and you have to assume that Apple “sold” substantially less this time as well.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:42:35 +0000

700,000 was the most optimistic of any of the projections for the first weekend sales of the iPhone, and was derived from an initial estimate of 500,000 to 700,000. Apple did not sell 700,000 phones. Later estimates placed it at around 270,000 the first weekend. Actual at&t activations were only 146,000 for the first two days hours, and so potentially 250,000 activations for the friday-through stretch. Keep in mind that Apple saw return revenue from monthly service kickbacks from at&t with their previous arrangement, not the upfront subsidization that occurs now.

Apple succeeded in securing 1 million new cellphone contracts over this weekend, up more than triple the last launch. This has secured easily that much more revenue.

This article is completely skewed and doesn’t do any financial analysis while assuming the worst.

Apple succeeded greatly here, and you’re using the highest number of the highest estimate of initial sales to support your straw man of an article.

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:25:49 +0000

Nice even handed article. Hard to find one that isn’t either a gushing river of Apple love or bitter bile of snarky, cynical cheap shots. Keep up the good work.