Doesn't it make more sense to stagger your releases throughout the year so consumers don't feel taxed by purchasing multiple products? For instance, if I already ordered an iphone in Sep, I might hesitate about blowing a few more hundred a month later. What's there left that could be announced in March?
I don't have any numbers but I would guess the majority of people get their iPhones subsidizes every two years. Doesn't seem to be a show stopper. The only people really mad should be students who will get their new old iPad for university/school, while the new new iPad is released just a month later.
University here in Berlin started on the 15th of October and all my friends had a new iPad then...as a macrumors reeder I knew I should wait...just placed my order for the iPad mini 3G and laughed at all the students who really got screwed over ;-)