Apple already padding iPhone 3G supply for second-wave carriers
Although Apple is just coming to grips with iPhone 3G demand among the device's first batch of carriers, the next phase of new carriers should already have the stock it needs to handle its own introductions, AppleInsider has been told.
Those familiar with the launch plans cite Singapore as an example of Apple's likely ability to cope with the early sales rush when the next group of carriers begins offering iPhone 3G on August 22nd.
SingTel is now understood to have registered over 50,000 interested users ahead of its nationwide rollout for the handset, suggesting a high level of demand in a city state whose total population is just nearing 4.6 million. However, people aware of the plans say the telecom provider has already been taking shipments of the phones and has enough supply to match this number of potential customers when the doors open to iPhone sales in one week's time.
The large berth of iPhones reflects how well Apple will stock at least some carriers with its fast-selling device and is a stark contrast to the problems encountered with pre-order campaigns for the original July 11th launch. O2's advance ordering system, although biased towards existing customers, suffered a near-total shutdown within minutes and ultimately sold out within hours. Customers locked out of this system were asked to wait in line with others for retail iPhones.
These and many other retailers worldwide quickly sold out and ultimately forced Apple to devise solutions at its own stores to cope with demand, going so far as to extend store hours on a semi-permanent basis and issue rainchecks to prevent day-long queues.
Whether or not this future round of carriers will truly match demand more easily than O2, AT&T, and others is unknown and may be affected by the prices themselves. Many of these remain unpublished and, in some cases, won't be available until just before the official debut in a respective time zone. Singapore and others are expected to give the iPhone away for free for customers of certain plans, according to AppleInsider's sources.
Apple, however, has expressed little concern over its long-term supply and told investors in July that it was "very confident" that it was ramping up production quickly enough to handle additional countries' iPhone 3G demand without a significant impact on those already cleared to sell the touchscreen device.
Those familiar with the launch plans cite Singapore as an example of Apple's likely ability to cope with the early sales rush when the next group of carriers begins offering iPhone 3G on August 22nd.
SingTel is now understood to have registered over 50,000 interested users ahead of its nationwide rollout for the handset, suggesting a high level of demand in a city state whose total population is just nearing 4.6 million. However, people aware of the plans say the telecom provider has already been taking shipments of the phones and has enough supply to match this number of potential customers when the doors open to iPhone sales in one week's time.
The large berth of iPhones reflects how well Apple will stock at least some carriers with its fast-selling device and is a stark contrast to the problems encountered with pre-order campaigns for the original July 11th launch. O2's advance ordering system, although biased towards existing customers, suffered a near-total shutdown within minutes and ultimately sold out within hours. Customers locked out of this system were asked to wait in line with others for retail iPhones.
These and many other retailers worldwide quickly sold out and ultimately forced Apple to devise solutions at its own stores to cope with demand, going so far as to extend store hours on a semi-permanent basis and issue rainchecks to prevent day-long queues.
Whether or not this future round of carriers will truly match demand more easily than O2, AT&T, and others is unknown and may be affected by the prices themselves. Many of these remain unpublished and, in some cases, won't be available until just before the official debut in a respective time zone. Singapore and others are expected to give the iPhone away for free for customers of certain plans, according to AppleInsider's sources.
Apple, however, has expressed little concern over its long-term supply and told investors in July that it was "very confident" that it was ramping up production quickly enough to handle additional countries' iPhone 3G demand without a significant impact on those already cleared to sell the touchscreen device.
Comments
Because you never know when the manufacturing plant might burn to the ground.
You could legitimately call the next wave of countries secondary markets and they are less important because they have less demand. I think Apple has put two and two together regarding demand and expanded manufacturing so I imagine supply won't be so tight anymore.
I agree with you except India, with a burgeoning middle class market greater than the whole of the USA. The Indian carrier has over 37,000 outlets, if each opened with just 10 iPhones in stock, that's a secondary market I'd want.
Pete
You could legitimately call the next wave of countries secondary markets and they are less important because they have less demand. I think Apple has put two and two together regarding demand and expanded manufacturing so I imagine supply won't be so tight anymore.
Yeah, I don't see how they will find any buyers in India or China. Excellent point.
Apple, however, has expressed little concern over its long-term supply and told investors in July that it was "very confident" that it was ramping up production quickly enough to handle additional countries' iPhone 3G demand without a significant impact on those already cleared to sell the touchscreen device.
That's funny - here in Belgium it is still old communist style allocation of non existing phones and nonofficial "lists" run by the shop keepers. Just like back in 1986 in the Soviet Union when Bananas were supposed to arrive...
If you are "lucky" you might get 8Gigs in white - oh joy.
That's funny - here in Belgium it is still old communist style allocation of non existing phones and nonofficial "lists" run by the shop keepers. Just like back in 1986 in the Soviet Union when Bananas were supposed to arrive...
If you are "lucky" you might get 8Gigs in white - oh joy.
Beware 8GB iPhones in white as they would be fakes.
Belgium has a lot going for it. They have the best waffles, have brought the world Jean-Claude Van Damme and are home to Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam".
Beware 8GB iPhones in white as they would be fakes.
Belgium has a lot going for it. They have the best waffles, have brought the world Jean-Claude Van Damme and are home to Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam".
Ooooo, good points. It also brought me the first porn I ever saw. Sex life of a belgium beauty queen.
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0148716/
I've been terrified of porn ever since. It's good to see that the director stayed true to the industry.
Belgium has a lot going for it. They have the best waffles, have brought the world Jean-Claude Van Damme and are home to Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam".
And let's not forget Plastic Bertrand.
On the plus side though, they've the best beer in the world and no "probably" about it.
You can come to Finland and get all the iPhones you want. Sonera is calling people to ask them if they would like one. For the most part the iPhone with its locked to the operator plan has not been that successful. Some people are even returning unopened iPhone boxes to get their money back because Finns simply will not pay full price for something that they can not do with what they will.
good for them.
good for them.
Exactly. I applaud their stubbornness.
Yeah, I don't see how they will find any buyers in India or China. Excellent point.
Yeah we all know everyone has got the equivalent of 6 months wages to spend on a phone in those countries.
Yeah we all know everyone has got the equivalent of 6 months wages to spend on a phone in those countries.
IT is not the average ...but the average of the top 5-10% that matters..there r more $millionaires in India than in US ( most of the money is black and hence not available in official numbers ) ...just check out how much luxury crap like watches, bags, jewelry they sell in India before you make ignorant comments. Have you been there in the last 5 years ?
That's funny - here in Belgium it is still old communist style allocation of non existing phones and nonofficial "lists" run by the shop keepers. Just like back in 1986 in the Soviet Union when Bananas were supposed to arrive...
If you are "lucky" you might get 8Gigs in white - oh joy.
it costs abt 1000euro for an iphone there right ? and they are still sold out after 1 month ?
how long is the wait, if u know ?
it costs abt 1000euro for an iphone there right ? and they are still sold out after 1 month ?
how long is the wait, if u know ?
525 - 615 euro for an unlocked iPhone (but all available data plans here in Belgium are more expensive than the "obligatory" plans that come with locked iPhones in many other countries, so it comes out more expensive in the end).
The wait is "at least" 8 weeks I've been told in 3 different shops; the local Mobistar shop (= official provider for Belgium) received exactly ONE iPhone last week for a waiting list of several hundred people...
8 weeks = well behind the next wave of countries... if this shop gets 1 iphone a week now, how bad will it be with 20 more countries wanting iPhones???
You could legitimately call the next wave of countries secondary markets and they are less important because they have less demand. I think Apple has put two and two together regarding demand and expanded manufacturing so I imagine supply won't be so tight anymore.
Umm.. the next wave of countries will have more iPhones sold than the first wave.
525 - 615 euro for an unlocked iPhone (but all available data plans here in Belgium are more expensive than the "obligatory" plans that come with locked iPhones in many other countries, so it comes out more expensive in the end).
The wait is "at least" 8 weeks I've been told in 3 different shops; the local Mobistar shop (= official provider for Belgium) received exactly ONE iPhone last week for a waiting list of several hundred people...
8 weeks = well behind the next wave of countries... if this shop gets 1 iphone a week now, how bad will it be with 20 more countries wanting iPhones???
I was in Belgium last weekend for a few days. IT IS F*KING IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND IPHONES ANYWHERE. As you say, it has been weeks and weeks, with another few months to wait for it.
I think Mobistar has given up on selling it.
Yeah we all know everyone has got the equivalent of 6 months wages to spend on a phone in those countries.
LOL. The numbers of nouveau rich in developing countries... are huge. Also as a previous poster mentioned, remember many of the developing economies have poorer financial accounting control (though when considering the US system...
If you know how the target the right crowd in the developing economies you can be successful. Target the wrong crowd, and one will not be successful.
Let's just say the iPhone 3G is going to be very successful.
You can come to Finland and get all the iPhones you want. Sonera is calling people to ask them if they would like one. For the most part the iPhone with its locked to the operator plan has not been that successful. Some people are even returning unopened iPhone boxes to get their money back because Finns simply will not pay full price for something that they can not do with what they will.
Will you be reassigned or fired from your job when administrations change?
Will you be reassigned or fired from your job when administrations change?
Not sure what you are getting at? I am not a political appointee if that is what you mean. I am just the rank and file salt mine worker.