Apple Has Sold 1 Billion iPhones

[ArtOfWarfare]

The app will of course not use Int's. iOS follows IEEE754 floating point notation. In binary32 single precision float, the largest precise integer number that can be stored is 16 777 216 (24 bit).
If you use binary64 double precision, the largest integer number to be stored precisely is 9 007 199 254 740 992 (53 bit). I believe Apple has been somewhat forgiving from this number and up to the display limit of 9 999 999 999 999 999 as very rarely would anyone need that exact precision (here the precision will be every even number). You should try using odd numbers with the upper limit and I would believe you will always end up with an even number even if the calculation should be odd, like if you try to add +1 to a number above that limit.

Why not use ints? So long as I'm only using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and exponents of whole numbers (restricted to positive whole numbers for exponents), it can precisely store the value of 20+ digit numbers, for 64 bit ints.

Once I hit the decimal key or use division or pick a negative exponent, it can just cast the value to a float.

Or there's no real reason it has to use a primitive number type. It could use some kind of big number data structure.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

You would be a FOOL to not boast about no world wars for 20 years in 1938! It didn't matter that one was about to happen - you would be celebrating an accomplishment. You would be boasting about doing something that was hard, unexpected and truly wonderful. There is NOTHING wrong with that.

Clearly you have no understanding of post WWI history or what was happening in Europe in 1938. You look like a fool for writing what you did without suck knowledge.

 

[wigby]

We don't know because the last successful Samsung was the S4. Up to that point Samsung was more than happy to report various sales figures for their flagships. We know it took 6 months for the S2 to hit 10 million, 55 days for the S3 and only 1 month for the S4. Then silence from Samsung.

However, Samsung did officially announce in Feb 2014 that they passed the 200 millionth Galaxy S phone sold. At that time iPhone had sold 413 million units (excluding earlier models that came out before the Galaxy S).

So the iPhone was already 2X ahead of Samsung back in Feb 2014. Since then Apple has seen record sales while Samsung saw declines, so the gap has obviously gotten much wider now.

Good info. Thanks. It might be fair to assume that samsung hovers around half billion but IDC just released numbers showing samsung outsold iPhone by a wide margin in most recent quarter. I guess even at that rate, it would take Samsung several more quarters to approach 1 billion phones.

 

[robeddie]

These those one penny on contract Nokia phones you're talking about?

whatever dude, the guy is acting like its some kind of sentinal event in his life that he's going to tell his grandchildren about when he's older. It's a company he has nothing to do with selling a bunch of stuff. Like are we supposed to he proud or something that we were alive during this suppoedly 'historic' moment? Gimme a break.

Grandfather: "come here boy, let me about something amazing that happened when I was your age"

Grandson: "What was that grandpa?"

Grandfather: "A company called Apple sold a billion phones!"

Grandson: "grandpa?"

Grandfather: "yes boy?"

Grandson: "You're a dork"

 

[C DM]

whatever dude, the guy is acting like its some kind of sentinal event in his life that he's going to tell his grandchildren about when he's older. It's a company he has nothing to do with selling a bunch of stuff. Like are we supposed to he proud or something that we were alive during this suppoedly 'historic' moment? Gimme a break.

Yeah, doesn't sound like that was happening there.

 

[robeddie]

Yeah, doesn't sound like that was happening there.

I dont know, his own words were that this was "A truly remarkable achievement that we may never see again".

You dont think thats just a little hyperbolc?

 

[fischersd]

I dont know, his own words were that this was "A truly remarkable achievement that we may never see again".

You dont think thats just a little hyperbolc?

Oh, you mean like "It's the greatest iPhone since iPhone!!!" *gag*

I really wonder if these guys don't have some illicit substances they take before these events to make themselves so damn happy. Mind you, if I had the stock options that they have, I'd probably be giddy as all hell all the time too.

 

[C DM]

I dont know, his own words were that this was "A truly remarkable achievement that we may never see again".

You dont think thats just a little hyperbolc?

A little hyperbolic perhaps, but seems like the interpretation of it is much more hyperbolic.

 

[Savor]

Let's make it sound like Google and Apple are both winners.

Marketshare = Android (nearly 80%)
Mobile profits = Apple

In video game console wars, we mostly look at which one sold the most to determine the winner. Apple already lost to Android since 2009-2010. But if you look at it like as a business on whoever makes the most money, then Apple wins the pie eating contest. If it was seen that way, then the Sony PS2 didn't win generation six because Nintendo still made a killing selling GameCubes even though it sold less than 25M compared to the 150M PS2's.

Google is really out to sell ads. So their target is mostly volume sales for "overall" smartphones being sold. Doesn't matter if iOS was #1 or #2. It is a reason why Google still develops apps for iPhones while Apple is only in it for themselves. This is where mission is accomplished for Google and is probably why Alphabet Inc (Google's mother company) is valued more than Apple right now.

Congrats to Apple for selling their one billionth iPhone but Android accomplished that like over two years ago. Android One is created for that next billion. They already surpassed Symbian within their first few years. Yes, Android has more phones at cheaper prices. If you want to use that reason, then you also will realize why Android phones don't get software updated as long. Too many configurations.

Apple makes the most mobile profits. Google won the installed base years ago to sell more ads. Both winners.

As for which platform is leading in innovation? Android. All I see with newer iPhones are features I saw on Android years ago. When Apple stops impressing the tech savvy and only want to cater to soccer moms, tech dummies, and the Kim Kardashians of the world, they already lost that edge years ago. Most have probably been living under the rock to notice it especially in North America which is the only continent iPhones have a single digit deficit to Android's marketshare.

Google had 1.4B active Android users last year. Now I was confused for a minute because Apple just sold its 1 billionth iPhone but Google has 80% global marketshare. The difference is ACTIVE users. Apple is counting up all the iPhones being sold, even the old ones that aren't used anymore. So it is like 1.4B active users on Android and something like 280M active iPhone users to make up most of the marketshare.

Google has 1B users on Android, Chrome, YouTube, and probably on Gmail already. Nokia and Samsung hit a billion phones sold years ago. The Nokia 1100 alone sold a quarter billion and this is when the market was smaller. I really don't see the big deal selling 1B iPhones in NINE YEARS. But okay, congrats for selling that many even though most people buy iPhones subsidized.

You really think most people buy them by paying $700+ up front? Installments. So think before you say they are expensive since most Americans are under the mercy of their carrier but benefit from discounted cash outs. I guess it is like comparing total points scored between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Circumstantial. Kobe surpassed MJ's total points by entering in the league younger but also played more games and seasons to surpass MJ. Eras were too different too.

Like comparing movie box office success between Gone With The Wind vs Avatar. Adjust to inflation but circumstances were all different.

 

[robeddie]

A little hyperbolic perhaps, but seems like the interpretation of it is much more hyperbolic.

Touche

 

[CarlJ]

I saw one press article saying that they have a base of 1 billion iPhones to sell software product too. Cannot imagine what they are thinking. I am on my fourth iPhone and 2 of the three previous ones are certainly not available in that base. I think we can safely assume that many millions of that I billion have been scrapped

There are two different numbers in play, if I recall correctly: 1) One billion iPhones sold, as of just recently, to which you comments would apply; 2) one billion active devices (where active means, connecting to Apple's servers in the past 30 days) - this would include iPhones, iPod touches, iPads, and Macs of all types (might include the Apple Watch too, don't recall) - any Apple device that can sign into their servers (so not including the majority of iPods sold over the past decade and a half, just the ones running iOS). Both of these are significant accomplishments. And the latter group are, indeed, a market to which software can be sold. Perhaps the story you mention conflated the two groups.
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Looking at the caption under the pic, are we to believe that Tim himself bought the 1 billionth iPhone?

Yep! Little publicized is that the billionth iPhone came with a certificate that entitles the purchaser to a free one of everything Apple makes, and Tim wanted that loot for himself. Figured it was his best chance to finally get his hands on an iPad Pro and some iPods.
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Congrats to Apple for selling their one billionth iPhone but Android accomplished that like over two years ago.

To be clear, Apple has sold a billion iPhones. Android has not sold any phones. Just as steering wheels do not receive credit for selling a billion cars. Google itself has sold some phones, sure, but Android is an OS used by dozens of manufacturers - in fact, basically everyone except Apple (Google basically gives the OS away because, as you noted, their primary goal is selling ads). It's a bit like comparing the sales of cars from Tesla vs. all gasoline powered cars. Not exactly a fair comparison - or at least don't pretend the two things being compared are equivalent.

 

[Tycho24]

whatever dude, the guy is acting like its some kind of sentinal event in his life that he's going to tell his grandchildren about when he's older. It's a company he has nothing to do with selling a bunch of stuff. Like are we supposed to he proud or something that we were alive during this suppoedly 'historic' moment? Gimme a break.

Grandfather: "come here boy, let me about something amazing that happened when I was your age"

Grandson: "What was that grandpa?"

Grandfather: "A company called Apple sold a billion phones!"

Grandson: "grandpa?"

Grandfather: "yes boy?"

Grandson: "You're a dork"

More like:
Grandpa: boy did you know that some people would go out with a camera, a camcorder, a gps, a laptop with a cellular modem dongle, & carry all that crap- costing thousands, to get a small fraction of the functionality in a smartphone? Then this company called Apple made the 1st consumer friendly, WILDLY successful smartphone, sold a billion of them in under nine years, & transformed the world to what it is today!
Grandson: duh, I read about that on Wikipedia gramps... on my iPhone.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Google had 1.4B active Android users last year. Now I was confused for a minute because Apple just sold its 1 billionth iPhone but Google has 80% global marketshare. The difference is ACTIVE users. Apple is counting up all the iPhones being sold, even the old ones that aren't used anymore. So it is like 1.4B active users on Android and something like 280M active iPhone users to make up most of the marketshare.

This article estimates that there are currently 630 million iPhones in use today.

http://ben-evans.com/benedictevans/2016/7/25/platform-wars-final-score

There are all sorts of numbers for Apple:

• iPhones sold cumulitively since 2007 - (1 billion)
• iPhone's market share which is their percentage of all smartphones sold during a particular period of time - (around 15% last quarter)
• Active iPhones currently in use - (630 million)

All three sets of numbers are important... but they all measure different things.

I agree that there can be more than one "winner" particularly when there are different games being played.

Apple is the sole provider of rather expensive iOS smartphones... whereas Google makes their software available to over 100 companies who produce Android smartphones with varying pricing.

It's kinda hard to compare one method against the other.

Google has 1B users on Android, Chrome, YouTube, and probably on Gmail already. Nokia and Samsung hit a billion phones sold years ago. The Nokia 1100 alone sold a quarter billion and this is when the market was smaller.

I really don't see the big deal selling 1B iPhones in NINE YEARS. But okay, congrats for selling that many even though most people buy iPhones subsidized.

You really think most people buy them by paying $700+ up front? Installments. So think before you say they are expensive since most Americans are under the mercy of their carrier but benefit from discounted cash outs.

Wait... you DON'T see the big deal in selling 1 billion smartphones in nine years?

And you think the only reason the iPhone sold a billion units is because of subsidies?

Guess what... ALL smartphones were subsidized at one time. And you can still pay for a phone with installments today.

Yet there are only a handful of companies who can claim 1 billion total smartphone sales.

Carriers didn't invent subsidies because of the iPhone. My old Blackberry Curve was subsidized... but Blackberry hasn't sold anywhere close to a billion total units.

Yes... the iPhone was subsidized... but so was every other phone. So you can't discredit Apple's success by attributing it to subsidies.

Even the Nokia 1100 was subsidized. But it was cheaper in the first place.

A $700 phone with subsidies still costs more than a $200 phone with subsidies. And cheaper things tend to sell in greater volume.

So yeah... I think it is a VERY big deal that Apple has sold 1 billion iPhones... especially considering that it is a rather expensive item compared to the cheaper alternatives.

 

[mojolicious]

(General observation: Americans have a very strange understanding of the word 'subsidy')

 

[C DM]

(General observation: Americans have a very strange understanding of the word 'subsidy')

In what sense?

 

[Michael Scrip]

(General observation: Americans have a very strange understanding of the word 'subsidy')

Oh I agree. You end up paying for the phone yourself anyway. It's more of a loan rather than a true subsidy. I have spoken at length on this topic in other threads.

But in this context... ALL phones were subsidized... so the iPhone wasn't given a sales boost because of subsidies.

It's still an incredible feat for the iPhone selling a billion units... considering other phones were also subsidized.

 

[iWilliam325]

and i'm sure quite a substantial number of iPhones were destroyed to make youtube videos

 

[Superhai]

Why not use ints?

I don't think the common use cases for the calculator needs to use various datatypes. It is after all a basic calculator where addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are the main operations, and there is a scientific part where a floating type is certainly a requirement.
But anyone are free to make their own calculator and surely if you have the need to multiply a fantazillion with a value and add 1 to have the exact answer, sure a calculator with your own datatype with 256 or 512 bit or whatever your need will be is possible. Surely you can also define your own floating point datatype over several bytes if you need to calculate how long a rope you will need if you want to tie the one end of the universe to the other, and the precision down to the fraction of a nanometer. And surely if you don't need any dividing or any other operator which would create fractions of the integers, you could make a special calculator.
Why is it good to use the basic types? Because the ARM cpu have certain optimized instructions and will be much faster and easy on the power usage. Now, I don't think most people would notice the difference, as the CPU is incredibly fast even for advanced calculations, most likely the time used to enter the numbers will be enough to do the calculations a few million times already.
Casting from one datatype to another will require some extra bits to store what kind of datatype you have, so it cannot be a basic type by itself.

 

[volcomvenom]

I'm aware of that. However, if the seller turned off Find my iPhone then it proves they were either the original owner or were a buddy of the original owner that was given the password. Going to be tough for them to claim a lost or stolen phone (to get a new one from the carrier through a replacement plan, for example) when it's discovered the seller knows their Apple ID. This is sufficient evidence to report it as fraud to the police.

I reported it to the police every time. They couldn't do anything and t-mobile has security down to a "t".

 

[robeddie]

I don't think the common use cases for the calculator needs to use various datatypes. It is after all a basic calculator where addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are the main operations, and there is a scientific part where a floating type is certainly a requirement.
But anyone are free to make their own calculator and surely if you have the need to multiply a fantazillion with a value and add 1 to have the exact answer, sure a calculator with your own datatype with 256 or 512 bit or whatever your need will be is possible. Surely you can also define your own floating point datatype over several bytes if you need to calculate how long a rope you will need if you want to tie the one end of the universe to the other, and the precision down to the fraction of a nanometer. And surely if you don't need any dividing or any other operator which would create fractions of the integers, you could make a special calculator.
Why is it good to use the basic types? Because the ARM cpu have certain optimized instructions and will be much faster and easy on the power usage. Now, I don't think most people would notice the difference, as the CPU is incredibly fast even for advanced calculations, most likely the time used to enter the numbers will be enough to do the calculations a few million times already.
Casting from one datatype to another will require some extra bits to store what kind of datatype you have, so it cannot be a basic type by itself.

Wow, was that that post a social experiement designed to see how many eyes would glaze over after the first 3 sentences?

 

[iOSFangirl6001]

A billion of anything is mind boggling. I wonder how many hundreds of millions are in landfills.

Probably less than you think. There are numerous phone recycling programs , resale options etc

I bought at least 5 of those billion

Hats off to you then
**tips fedora **

Anyone else find the fact that we cannot live without our phones unsettling? Pretty soon people will not be leaving their homes and will just live in their own virtual reality. We will all look like the people from Wall-E.

But, I am very proud of Apple. They are a great brand that produces great products.

No
Now let me enjoy my cupcakes

** orders centennial cupcake in a cup from iPhone 17+ **

 

[warnergt]

Tim Cook looks like he is getting pudgy in that picture. I've noticed that of Jony Ive, too.

 

[robeddie]

Tim Cook looks like he is getting pudgy in that picture. I've noticed that of Jony Ive, too.

It's from all those huge dinner parties they host where they all sit around and eat and laugh about how stupid mac buyers will still pay full price for 2-3 year old technology.

 

[a.gomez]

People and their anti ms sentiment is hilarious to me. If anyone is like old Microsoft that would be google

not sure what you mean by anti Microsoft sentiments. I remember a microsoft rep talking to a large group of IT managers and small business owners on how they had sold 500,000 copies of windows and had 1.4 billion PCs running Windows at that moment. With a bunch of other really big numbers.

The only thing i remember thinking is why do I care?... Tell me how you fixing Windows 8 and what we are doing about Mobile. I dont see that as anti MS sentiments (or Apple) - more like anti random marketing BS sentiments.

 

[admob71]

Can anyone confirm is it 400,000,000 or 500,000,000 iPhones in existence? - live.
thanks

Does it really matter in the slightest what the figure is..
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I scarcely think you can count the sales of "a billion grains of rice" or something on par (or the same ballpark) as a wildly expensive luxury device that everyone was surviving fine without a decade ago.

Wildly expensive luxury device... lol lol lol.
600 pounds new in the uk, 35 pounds a month on contract. That is absolutely not luxury or expensive!!!