Analyst: 'unlockers' bought 838,000 iPhones
updated 03:40 pm EST, Fri January 25, 2008
Analyst on iPhone sales
Apple reported 3.7 million iPhone sales in 2007 when the company disclosed its December quarter financial results last week, but AT&T this week announced 2 million iPhone activations in the same time period. Piper Jaffray senior analyst Gene Munster believes that the remaining 1.7 million iPhones were divided up between U.S./European channel inventory (512,000 iPhones), 350,000 sales overseas, and about 838,000 handsets sold to 'unlockers,' or customers who bought the iPhone with the intention of using a cellular carrier other than Apple's exclusive partner.
Apple holds exclusive agreements with wireless carriers in most countries where its iPhone is available, resulting in revenue sharing between the carriers and Apple itself. The Cupertino-based company just reported its best quarter in history, driven by numerous factors which include better than expected iPhone sales.
hmm...
01/25, 06:57pm reply
More than 20% of sales were to people who unlocked them? That sounds pretty uhm... impossible.
Peter753
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2001
True
01/26, 07:13am reply
What to for people which Apple thinks "don't qualify" for iPhone? For those who don't live in 4 countries they sell but live in remaining almost 200 countries with total population of more than 5 bilion? This number is small enough.
Tikas
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2000
I believe it.
01/26, 05:54pm reply
One of my co-workers has been buying about 20 iPhones a week since November and shipping them to his friends in Bulgaria. He says they sell for a $300-400 markup over there. The Bulgarians pay him $100 over retail and he just pays kids hanging out at the mall $20 to buy the phones. He's been doing this since around Thanksgiving last year.
I don't really know why this wouldn't be a common situation. I'd probably start doing this myself If I had friends somewhere where the markup was this high.
Laurence
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined: Mar 1999
not to forget downunder!
01/26, 10:07pm reply
here in Australia iphones are available from shop front store and online
can order iphone unlocked for $600AUD delivered in a week...
works on all local phone networks..just swap the SIM
and ebay.com.au so plenty of availability..and plenty of interest
a million is a bit low considering other IT savvy countries would do the same..
canada/ireland/sweden/japan/china/italy/austria/switzerland
there's a market for a few hundred thousand without trying!
garybau
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2008
I believe it.
01/27, 02:20am reply
Judging from the number of iPhones in use and in stores in Hong Kong, we must have tens of thousands here.
tonton
Mac Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2001