Concerning the iphone 4 prototype found in the bar, why would a leaked phone cause sales of the actually phone to drop? It's not like once people know what it looks like they aren't going to buy it (assuming that wasn't going to happen when it was officially released anyways). Is there something I'm missing here?
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Why would a leaked phone cause sales to drop?
- Thread starter VTAb182
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Well the iPhone 4 sales were not hurt by the prototype. But a leak of a future product can cause the sales of the preceding product to stifle. For example (Product X is currently be sold and Product Y is leaked. So no one buys product X and waits for product Y).
I don't think anyone's suggested that the leak would hurt iPhone 4 sales, but I imagine sales of the 3GS in April and May were significantly impacted by the leak of the iPhone 4.
I actually think the leak helped with sales. Whenever a new Mac product is released, be it the Aluminum iMac or glossy macbook, many people are initially negative toward it until they get a change of heart. Given everybody knew what the iPhone 4 looked like (and had time to adjust), its debut had an overwhelming positive reception and this drove the pre-orders/sales until people found out it had no reception 
I don't think there was anyone who thought the iPhone4 was ugly, and changed their mind.
I doubt there are many people who thought the iPhone was ugly, and didn't change their mind, either, for that matter.
Wether or not you like Apple, AT&T, or the iPhone, I think most people would agree that the i4 is a very beautiful piece of hardware.
I doubt there are many people who thought the iPhone was ugly, and didn't change their mind, either, for that matter.
Wether or not you like Apple, AT&T, or the iPhone, I think most people would agree that the i4 is a very beautiful piece of hardware.
They've come out with a new phone every June for the last 3 years. You'd have to live under a rock to have an image of a leaked phone be the sole reason you waited until June instead of buying a 3GS in May. If they lost 1000 3GS sales in May due to the leak, I'd be surprised. Even if they did lose a few 3GS sales, they also garnered countless other iP4 sales as a result of all the press the leak received.