Apple’s iPhone UK launch sets the stage for Apple to make inroads beyond its U.S. home turf, Michael Gartenberg blogs for Jupiter Research.
“The move will bolster Apple’s ability to meet the goal of 10,000,000 phones over the first year of launch,” Gartenberg writes.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple’s stated goal is actually 10 million units in the first calendar year (2008), not the first year (June 29, 2007 – June 28, 2008). Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in his Macworld Expo 2007 keynote address that Apple would set the goal of selling 10 million iPhone units in 2008, the first full year on the market. (Macworld Expo 2007 iPhone Introduction: Jobs’ remarks on iPhone goals begin at 1:15:52 into the QuickTime video). On July 25, 2007, during Apple’s conference call discussing Q3 – 2007 financial results, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer reiterated Apple’s goal of selling 10 million iPhone units in “calendar 2008.” (Apple’s Q3 07 Apple Quarterly Results Call: Oppenheimer’s remarks on iPhone goals begin at 6:05 into the QuickTime audio stream).
Beyond wondering when we might see a 16GB iPhone (they crammed that much storage into the iPod touch, after all), Gartenberg writes, “It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Apple [being] able to launch a premium high end handset without 3G and [it’s] no doubt something we will see in the iPhone line over time. In the meantime, there’s no doubt some folks will gripe over the lack of 3G but it’s really not EDGE vs. 3G since the iPhone shines over WiFi and works OK over EDGE.”
“Even at $399, the iPhone is a bit too expensive for mass market adoption. It will be important for Apple to evolve the iPhone line into a family of products with different features, form factors capacities and most importantly, price points. An Apple branded phone with a selling price of $99 would no doubt resonate well with consumers and create the mass market draw Apple needs longer term,” Gartenberg writes.
Gartenberg also thinks integration with Microsoft Exchange is important, writing, “If Apple is serious about getting business users on board with the iPhone, they’re going to need to license the Exchange ActiveSync Protocol from Microsoft.”
MacDailyNews Take: Is Exchange really important for Apple to support – or to kill? If there are millions of iPhones out there in people’s hands (people who also work for companies, by the way), then perhaps businesses might have to actually think about lessening their dependence on Exchange (cough, iCal Server, cough) or at least switching on IMAP support. Maybe Apple doesn’t want to depend on Microsoft and maybe businesses shouldn’t be shackling themselves to proprietary Microsoftian protocols if they limit interaction with millions of devices? Just a thought: radical in some circles, but logical nonetheless.
Gartenberg continues, “This is not a sprint for Apple but rather a marathon. Apple has already demonstrated that while not early to market, they are a powerful and relevant force with the ability to capture the mind share of consumers. As we know, mind share often leads to market share.”
Full article here.
Apple will tell Microsoft to go and sell Exchange to the EU Commission….
Hope it never adopts it. All the better to unravel the MS pig trough..
If they sell it in Mexico, I woul go and buy it right away.
They have my mindshare.
$99 iphone? I don’t think so. Not for quite a while at least. Just look at the ipods in that price range. I see a $199 iphone as a low point.
“Even at $399, the iPhone is a bit too expensive for mass market adoption. It will be important for Apple to evolve the iPhone line into a family of products with different features, form factors capacities and most importantly, price points.”
Conventional thinking.
An Apple branded phone with a selling price of $99 would no doubt resonate well with consumers and create the mass market draw Apple needs longer term.”
Wishful thinking.
Why can’t “analysts” understand that people will pay for quality, and a phone that “just works”?
M. T. MacPhee,
Uh, people certainly seem to have a hard time understanding “paying for quality” and for something that “just works” when it comes to personal computers.
Otherwise, everyone would have Macs.
MDN… Are you serious about the IMAP protocol? That is a huge security risk and many public companies can’t even allow that protocol under SOX regulations.
The iPhone is cool and all… but they will really have to bend over for ActiveSync or even Blackberry enterprise services in order to truly compete.
IMAP…? Are you serious? You MDN folks really don’t know anything past the end-user Mac experience.
Exchange support via Active sync would be a Welcome addition and provide me with everything I gave up when i dumped my black berry.
This would allow Microsoft to take a huge BITE out of RIM’s market, and promote Exchange 07, all while allowing the iPhone to have another top notch feature under its belt.
there is no good reason this shouldn’t happen…..
Why, OH Why do all these writers that that you have to sell to EVERYBODY to be good. There is a great market for throwaway phones. You know, cheap phones that can get dropped, left in the store, etc and that is what people want.
The iPhone is a smart phone and designed for a specific market. OK, actually a rather wide market (teens thru business) but NOT everyone. PLEASE. f
Just like the Mac, if Apple does not have 90 percent of the market its no good, right??? 90 % of the lifeforms on the dry part of the planet are insects. Doesn’t make em at the top of the chain.
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…businesses might have to actually think about lessening their dependence on Exchange or at least switching on IMAP support.
Harrumph… My company has just turned *off* IMAP support unless you’re also running the company’s VPN client, which is not possible on iPhone. So I need M$ Exchange support, as malodoruous as it is.
@Mike
If they sell it in Mexico, I woul go and buy it right away,
Had friends bring me one last weekend, used http://www.iphoneunlockuk.com/
Using Telcel now!!I do not have a Telcel data plan, but I am in WiFi most of the time.
if you are waiting for Mexico to have the iPhone, you are in for a long wait, we do not even have an iTunes store (required for iPhone)
Now I hope someone comes up with a VOIP hack!!
“Apple’s UK iPhone launch begins marathon effort”
That’s o.k. as long as they know what a Marathon effort is Pfhor.
Yep, my company just turned off IMAP as unsecure. Horrible though it is to ask for … where’s the Exchange support?
@en
Yes.
“works OK over EDGE”
wtf, not were I live it doesn’t!
try the iPhonenetworktest.com I’m always around 100 or much much less.
To me Edge sucks balls
Spanish company won the battle!
VIVA Telefonica!