Apple Has Already Reached 10 Million iPhone Sales in 2008?

[MacRumors]

Seeking Alpha summarizes findings by MacObserver forum members who have been compiling iPhone IMEI numbers into a public spreadsheet.

According to those numbers, it appears that Apple may have already reached 10 million iPhone sales for 2008. According to the sequential Type Allocation Codes (TAC), Apple has reached 9.2 million iPhone 3Gs manufactured. When combined with the sales figures 2.4 million 1st generation iPhones sold earlier this year, it brings them well above the 10 million mark even if over a million 3G iPhones remain in the sales channel.

SeekingAlpha notes there are a few assumptions that may introduce some error into these estimates:

The actual number of handsets sold versus manufactured depends on a variety of factors including the amount of inventory Apple carries in its retail chain, defects that were destroyed, defects that were sold and then exchanged, display models etc.

A goal of 10 million iPhone sales in 2008 has been Apple's stated goal when first announced the iPhone in January 2007.

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[JG271]

Wether or not they reached the 10 million mark, thats still pretty damn impressive! I didn't know that the so many more 3gs have been made compared to the first generation.

[illegallydead]

damn. that is quite the impressive sales figures there

[DrFu79]

Cant wait for the Christmas numbers ...

[pavelbure]

congrats. i do think sales will be drying up soon due to economy and being tied to 1 carrier in some countries.

[pismodude2]

Go Apple GO!

[Rlkv011]

It really pisses me off as a shareholder that the stock is tanking. We are going to beat the 10 million estimate by a good number. I spoke with Apple Store employees over the weekend at 3 different stores in the area. They said they still sell out daily of iPhones and haven't noticed any decrease in mac sales. Keep in mind these stores were so packed I had a hard time flagging down a salesman.

[kas23]

What about the people who are on their 2nd or 3rd phone? They would count for iPhones manufactured, but not necessarily sold. This is assuming they did not receive refurbs, but new phones.

[Di9it8]

Originally Posted by kas23

What about the people who are on their 2nd or 3rd phone? They would count for iPhones manufactured, but not necessarily sold. This is assuming they did not receive refurbs, but new phones.

Its common in the phone market that returned phones are refurbished and then used as replacement stock, so unless you ask for a new phone the likelyhood is that you will receive a refurb unit.

[emotion]

Originally Posted by Rlkv011

It really pisses me off as a shareholder that the stock is tanking. We are going to beat the 10 million estimate by a good number. I

They're a maker of luxury goods in a recession. High margin luxury good are generally the first to get hit.

I remember when the 10M was announced as a target, people just didn't think it possible (see Ballmer quote above).

[Rlkv011]

Originally Posted by emotion

They're a maker of luxury goods in a recession. High margin luxury good are generally the first to get hit.

I remember when the 10M was announced as a target, people just didn't think it possible (see Ballmer quote above).

Didn't seem to bother all the people forking over cash for ipods and macs. Kids with disposable incomes are still going to by ipods and macs not matter what. I am still going to buy a macbook pro the day it comes out. Hopefully this brick manufacturing process will allow apple to sell computers at a lower price while maintaining margins.

[milo]

Originally Posted by emotion

They're a maker of luxury goods in a recession. High margin luxury good are generally the first to get hit.

I don't agree that their products are all luxury goods. Look at the shuffle and the nano, both very competitive and affordable. Apple wouldn't be dominating the audo/video player market if they only sold luxury product, there's no question the iPod is mainstream.

And I think the stock price reflects knee-jerk reaction more than it reflects facts. Seems like it could be a great buying opportunity, the only question is what is the bottom? Buy now or wait to see if it dips a bit more.

Originally Posted by emir

i think this is what's keeping Apple alive. Without us fanboys they wouldn't be a worldwide company

You don't sell 150 million iPods by only selling to "fanboys". Nor have the fastest selling new high end phone probably ever.

Originally Posted by VoR

I'm shocked people are willing to hand over so much money without really checking that it lives upto expectations and does what they want.

Or maybe DID check and it DOES live up to their expectations and do what they want? If people were just getting suckered into buying a lemon, it wouldn't be selling as fast as ever.

Originally Posted by Lesser Evets

Only 10 million??

That's just sad.

You're kidding, right?

Sarcasm doesn't translate well in text posts.

[IJ Reilly]

Originally Posted by Rlkv011

It really pisses me off as a shareholder that the stock is tanking. We are going to beat the 10 million estimate by a good number. I spoke with Apple Store employees over the weekend at 3 different stores in the area. They said they still sell out daily of iPhones and haven't noticed any decrease in mac sales. Keep in mind these stores were so packed I had a hard time flagging down a salesman.

Join the crowd. Apple's financials this month will probably set another record, but that won't matter in this terrible economy.

[emir]

Originally Posted by IJ Reilly

Join the crowd. Apple's financials this month will probably set another record, but that won't matter in this terrible economy.

Apple didn't affected that much from the economy. (compared to other companies it's nothing i think)

[rdowns]

Originally Posted by IJ Reilly

Join the crowd. Apple's financials this month will probably set another record, but that won't matter in this terrible economy.

Probably so but the stock has been ticking up since it was down about 7 earlier today. Maybe this news helped. Only down 2 and change now.

[sishaw]

Originally Posted by Rlkv011

It really pisses me off as a shareholder that the stock is tanking. We are going to beat the 10 million estimate by a good number. I spoke with Apple Store employees over the weekend at 3 different stores in the area. They said they still sell out daily of iPhones and haven't noticed any decrease in mac sales. Keep in mind these stores were so packed I had a hard time flagging down a salesman.

Looks like a buying opportunity to me.

[Rybold]

Originally Posted by Rlkv011

It really pisses me off as a shareholder that the stock is tanking. We are going to beat the 10 million estimate by a good number. I spoke with Apple Store employees over the weekend at 3 different stores in the area. They said they still sell out daily of iPhones and haven't noticed any decrease in mac sales. Keep in mind these stores were so packed I had a hard time flagging down a salesman.

I've been intesting for several decades, and I've seen this type of thing hundreds of times before. It's important to realize that as long as the fundamentals of the company are doing well, the stock price will eventually catch up. Warren Buffet made his fortune by buying companies whose stock prices have been down, while the actual company has been doing great - then, eventually, the stock price catches up, and you make a fortune. Apple stock will definitely come back up to 200. Just be patient and remember that we invest for the long-term and Not for the short-term.

[scirica]

Originally Posted by Rybold

I've been intesting for several decades, and I've seen this type of thing hundreds of times before. It's important to realize that as long as the fundamentals of the company are doing well, the stock price will eventually catch up. Warren Buffet made his fortune by buying companies whose stock prices have been down, while the actual company has been doing great - then, eventually, the stock price catches up, and you make a fortune. Apple stock will definitely come back up to 200. Just be patient and remember that we invest for the long-term and Not for the short-term.

You've been interesting?? Sorry...couldn't let that slip by...no harm intended!

I agree with most of your comment, other than the assumption that we invest for the long term and not for the short term. Each individual's time horizon for investing will be quite different, with some looking for quick hits and others looking for retirement or long-term considerations. I'm thinking you were coming from more of the "investment for retirement" perspective. Just remember to "buy on rumors, sell on news". Cheers

[milo]

Originally Posted by Rybold

I've been intesting for several decades, and I've seen this type of thing hundreds of times before. It's important to realize that as long as the fundamentals of the company are doing well, the stock price will eventually catch up. Warren Buffet made his fortune by buying companies whose stock prices have been down, while the actual company has been doing great - then, eventually, the stock price catches up, and you make a fortune. Apple stock will definitely come back up to 200. Just be patient and remember that we invest for the long-term and Not for the short-term.

Yep. Contrarian investing.

[varchar]

Originally Posted by Rlkv011

It really pisses me off as a shareholder that the stock is tanking. We are going to beat the 10 million estimate by a good number. I spoke with Apple Store employees over the weekend at 3 different stores in the area. They said they still sell out daily of iPhones and haven't noticed any decrease in mac sales. Keep in mind these stores were so packed I had a hard time flagging down a salesman.

I hear you buddy.... its totally irrational. Apple is a amazing company (not only for the products, but for their financials). Their cash-flow is superb, they do not even rely on the banks... They can buy the banks if they wanted to (18b in cash they have.. some figure like that...)....This macroeconomic situation is killing them for no reason.... stock dropped over 50% in past few months... NOT NORMAL!!!

(sorry to make this a stock reply...)

But back to reaching the iphone sales mark... the reality is that even in tough economic times, Apple fans will buy Apple products even if they do not have $ to put food on the table... WE love ya Apple!!!!!

[IJ Reilly]

Wow, somebody thinks something should be normal. Guess what? This is the biggest worldwide economic calamity since the Great Depression. Nobody but nobody knows what will happen next, or how to fix it, and anybody who claims to know should have their ears cut off and shoved into their back pockets.

Apple is a great company, but we could be in for some very, very tough times ahead.

[Andrew Danks]

Originally Posted by Steve Ballmer

Right now we're selling millions and millions and millions of phones per year. Apple's selling zero phones per year. In six months they will have the most expensive phone, by far, ever in the market place. (Youtube video)

Take that Ballmer.

[tmornini]

Originally Posted by Andrew Danks

Take that Ballmer.

:-)

It's really weird, because there's no question that he's smart, but he appears to be caught up in his own past and unable to learn new tricks.

He recently said that iPhone would eventually fail because people would want choice in hardware, i.e. they'd want to replicate the history of DOS and Windows.

But, he said the same thing about iPods: they'd fail because people would want choice in hardware.

What he fails to see is the value of the Dock Connector. That little thing has a HAMMER LOCK at the hardware level that nobody is discussing: Want to switch from iPod to other music player or music phone? Say goodbye to your car adapter, charging stations, audio system adapter, alarm clock, portable speaker system, etc.

[CWallace]

Originally Posted by Andrew Danks

Take that Ballmer.

Don't worry. He's sure that Windows Mobile 7 will destroy the iPhone when it is released in 2010.

[sterlingindigo]

Nice work, Apple!