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.