Posted on 02/27/2008 7:08:12 PM PST by RS
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) affirmed on Wednesday its iPhone sales goal for this year and said it will give details next week of how outside programmers can create software for its iPhone, a move expected to spur demand for the multifunction device.
Apple's Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook, speaking at a Goldman Sachs investment conference, said he had "really good confidence" the company could hit its oft-stated goal of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of the year.
Apple shares rose 3.7 percent in extended trading, building on a 3.2 percent increase to $122.96 (62 pounds) in the regular Nasdaq session. The stock has fallen 30 percent in the past three months on concerns a slowing economy could hit sales of its Mac computers, iPods and iPhones.
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(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Since they are claiming they sold 4 million in 2007, does this mean thay are saying they have "really good confidence" the company COULD sell 6 million in 2008 to reach their 10 million goal ?
It appears they are also attempting to spin the promise to release an SDK by the end of this month into something else, but I really can't make out what.
I don’t understand why Apple doesn’t sell unlocked iPhones at a premium - like $699 or something in that range. If I’m not mistaken I believe they do that in Europe.
Also if i go to an AT&T store or Apple store now, don’t I have to sign a 2 year contract before I can walk out with the phone? If so, where are all these unlocked iPhones without a contract coming from?
In Germany they are around $1500 in France about $1100 - there is some discussion if the french one is still “country locked” to french carriers only.
I don’t believe you can activate the phones in the stores, you need to activate them and sign up online, otherwise you can’t use ANY of it’s functions ... you just have an expensive ibrick.
“I dont believe you can activate the phones in the stores, you need to activate them and sign up online, otherwise you cant use ANY of its functions ... you just have an expensive ibrick.”
I’m not sure I follow that, but if that’s the case then why not make it so they have to activate them at the store - I’m sure they have internet available at the stores.
Probably force the apple stores to become agents of AT&T and how would they handle online sales ?
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
No, you can walk out with an iPhone that is contractless. You go home, plug it into your computer and iTunes sets up the account... at which time you sign up for the contract. You can also jailbreak the iPhone and use it with T-Mobile's but no one else because only T-Mobile has the same type of signal.
Apple today announced that they will unveil their iPhone SDK plans on March 6, including tools for third-party developers and some "exciting new features" aimed at businesses.
Apple's invitation to the media reads:
Please join us to learn about the iPhone software roadmap, including the iPhone SDK and some exciting new enterprise features...
Besides... The iPhone SDK was in the hands of some developers in February: the SDK developers...
;^)>
If so, and they want to stop it, why doesn’t apple simply force the buyer to sign up at the store (like all the other cell phones)?
Why would they want to stop sales? As the CFO of Apple said, when asked about the unlocked iPhone problem, "It's a nice problem to have."
I don’t have time to find the links but a lot of iPhones are headed to China where they get on the local network eventhough AAPL is not selling them in that geography. Google for the stories.
“Please join us to learn about the iPhone software roadmap, including the iPhone SDK “
Funny ... Your invitaion says nothing about come and get it ... it says come and learn about it.
Even your headline says
“Apple to unveil iPhone SDK *** plans *** on March 6”
- Not apple plans to hand out copies of the SDK on March 6
Lets see if I ping you back here in a few days :-)
“Why would they want to stop sales?”
Simply because their entire idea has been to make some profit on the hardware sale, and then much more profit on the cut of the usage revenues.
Unless they have abandoned plans to make a deal for a cut of usage revenues in China, EVERY unlocked handset is one that they have lost that portion of profit forever.
“It’s a nice problem to have.” IF your goal is sales volume at the expense of higher ongoing revenue.
Someone on another thread asked about how it would be used in China - Here’s a site that lists a Chinese language pack for an unlocked and jailbroken phone.
http://www.pqdvd.com/iphonetheme.html
Looks like people just doing the work that apple programmers won’t do ...
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