Doubt over Apple's ability to sell 10m iPhones in 2008?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 25 February 2008 16:12

Your IT - Mobility

One factor that pleased potential new iPhone buyers was the recent boost in storage space to 16GB, something that was accompanied by a 32GB iPod Touch model.

Some users may well be waiting for a 32GB iPhone, or even a future 100GB model, although flash memory prices have still some way to go before a 100GB iPhone will be affordable.

One thing that many are truly waiting for is a 3G iPhone. This will enable much faster browsing and download speeds, when in a 3G coverage area, while also opening up the possibility of video calling features common to virtually any 3G phone competitor.

If a 3G model is due in a few month’s time, at 32GB sizes or perhaps even larger by then, why rush to get a 2G iPhone now that is effectively already out of date?

There can be no question that any announcement of a 3G iPhone would see demand for today’s 2G iPhones fall dramatically, save for those wanting to pick up a bargain on what would be a discounted, older product.

So, Apple would have to cease production of the 2G iPhone at some stage in the not-too-distant future, to avoid having a large build-up of 2G inventory, and to start moving to the 3G iPhone model.

2008 should see the 3G iPhone appear, at larger sizes and with other, as yet unknown, cool features.

Depending on when Apple brings these innovations to market, and into which countries, Apple’s forecast of 10 million iPhone sales looks eminently possible.

My own anecdotal evidence for this revolves around the considerable number of people I’ve met who, after seeing and playing with my iPhone, say they want one, but want it to become officially available (here in Australia) first, and better still, in a 3G configuration.

So let the doubters doubt – Apple still needs to launch the iPhone more widely, and get that 3G version to us all, whether they ever truly sell an unlocked version, or not.

But even if 2008 still only sees the 2G iPhone launched in many more countries, 10 million sales is by no means impossible, and Apple will likely sell many more than that!