Cingular stores buzzing with iPhone inquiries
Although Apple's iPhone won't start shipping for another 6 months, exclusive wireless carrier Cingular is already fielding tons of inquiries on the communications device from enthused customers, an analyst for JMP Securities said on Thursday.
"Based on the buzz at Macworld and a number of channel calls we made to Cingular stores around the country since the product was announced, we believe the product will be successful," analyst Ingrid Ebeling wrote in a research note to clients on Thursday.
She said 75 percent of the 20 clerks she spoke with responded by saying they have received a lot of inquiries about the iPhone and overall the tone of the calls was extremely positive.
"We were very impressed with the form factor and features, especially the U/I, the visual voicemail feature, and touch screen controls, among other things," she told clients.
While Apple has projected it will sell 10 million units through calendar year 2008, Ebeling said she is taking a more conservative approach and is forecasting 8.5 million units through the same time period "with an approximate 2 million unit decline in iPod units" to account for some likely cannibalization.
"We’ve assumed modest share with Cingular’s 58 million subscribers (starting at 0.35 percent share rolling up to 1.75 percent share through the end of 2008) and very modest share of the estimated European market (250 million subs) and Asian market (1 billion subs)," she wrote.
The analyst on Thursday raised her revenue and earnings-per-share (EPS) estimates slightly for Apple's 2007 fiscal year, from revenue of $24.4 billion to $27.3 billion and EPS from $2.84 to $2.85.* For fiscal 2008, she raised her revenue estimate from $27.4 billion to $29.4 billion and EPS from $3.18 to $3.47.
Ebeling also raised her price target on shares of Apple from $93 to $100.
"Based on the buzz at Macworld and a number of channel calls we made to Cingular stores around the country since the product was announced, we believe the product will be successful," analyst Ingrid Ebeling wrote in a research note to clients on Thursday.
She said 75 percent of the 20 clerks she spoke with responded by saying they have received a lot of inquiries about the iPhone and overall the tone of the calls was extremely positive.
"We were very impressed with the form factor and features, especially the U/I, the visual voicemail feature, and touch screen controls, among other things," she told clients.
While Apple has projected it will sell 10 million units through calendar year 2008, Ebeling said she is taking a more conservative approach and is forecasting 8.5 million units through the same time period "with an approximate 2 million unit decline in iPod units" to account for some likely cannibalization.
"We’ve assumed modest share with Cingular’s 58 million subscribers (starting at 0.35 percent share rolling up to 1.75 percent share through the end of 2008) and very modest share of the estimated European market (250 million subs) and Asian market (1 billion subs)," she wrote.
The analyst on Thursday raised her revenue and earnings-per-share (EPS) estimates slightly for Apple's 2007 fiscal year, from revenue of $24.4 billion to $27.3 billion and EPS from $2.84 to $2.85.* For fiscal 2008, she raised her revenue estimate from $27.4 billion to $29.4 billion and EPS from $3.18 to $3.47.
Ebeling also raised her price target on shares of Apple from $93 to $100.
Comments
The analyst on Thursday raised her revenue and earnings-per-share (EPS) estimates slightly for Apple's 2007 fiscal year, from revenue of $27.3 billion to $24.4 billion and EPS from $2.84 to $2.85.* For fiscal 2008, she raised her revenue estimate from $27.4 billion to $29.4 billion and EPS from $3.18 to $3.47.
Typo? :P
And I'd like to know where Cingular operates in the EU... I don't have Cingular in the UK unless the are undercover as another network
-tj
LOL, considering how little information is available even to ardent fanboys, I'm sure Cingular retail employees are VERY well-informed!
I was actually serious: having worked in a cell phone retail situation, I can tell you that the pressure to hit your goals is emence.
I garentee when the release datte of June was announced, the sales force lost heart: they are paid by commission: move a Razor in stead of a craptastic free phone, get $x, sell a data/SMS plan, get more...
but now, the ones that would be willing to buy a Razor, BlackJack, Treo or any other phone that could make a NICE addition ot the paycheck will hold off for 5 months..
These are not small commissions...on a standard color flipphone with an 800 min/$59.99 plan (the most popular) and a text bundle that runs $5/Mo, I could have made ~$40 in spiffs in addition to a genourous ~5% commision on the RETAIL PRICE (not the contract price) of the handset and accessories: all of this in addition to the $6/Hr that was the "base". if you were really really great, you could make ~$60/hr...but if there were no customers for 4-5 months...you would be HOSED.
but when these puppies hit...if you are a fast typist and can key account numbers and ESNs fast, then you will be in the money...smartphones could net like $100 per unit in spiffs and commissions sooo...if you could do one every 10 minutes...$600/hr if you have the foot traffic to support the speed.
(1) If I were going to spring 600 bucks on a "convergence" device, I would want something that would actually replace my ipod - all 23 gigs of my music/photos/video podcasts. I mean, it is widescreen with brilliant video - but only 8 Gigs? Perhaps as a nano replacement it works...But it is no full ipod replacement with only 8 Gigs of memory...
(2)Apple tends to wildly exaggerate battery life, so if they say 5 hours -I take it with a grain of salt and wonder - what if it is something miserable, like 2 in real world conditions? Without a user-replaceable battery, it has to have some good battery life unless you want to be saddled with a charger at home, work, car, etc...
(3) If I so much as glance at my ipod screen, it scratches - hopefully it is more smudge-scratch proof than it seems...
Finally, the software is closed - so you have to wait for Apple to release a "widget" that you could really use but Apple hasn't released it yet.
2. i think battery life may not be too long but theres still time for this to change by the time the phone is released
3. jobs said they have tested many many version of different glasses for the phone and have come with one that is scratch resistant and resistant to lots of fingerprints
and finally..you are wrong nothing is closed yet, people are starting rumors such as TUAW who spoke to a fricken security guard who probably had no idea what he was talking about, all i know is when people actually asked APPLE themselves, apple said "NO COMMENT"...im going to assume software will be in the works before release date, its a simple feature for windows mobile why not be so for mac..theyre smart too
Why I would go for a new iPod over an iPhone for a while:
(1) If I were going to spring 600 bucks on a "convergence" device, I would want something that would actually replace my ipod - all 23 gigs of my music/photos/video podcasts. I mean, it is widescreen with brilliant video - but only 8 Gigs? Perhaps as a nano replacement it works...But it is no full ipod replacement with only 8 Gigs of memory...
(2)Apple tends to wildly exaggerate battery life, so if they say 5 hours -I take it with a grain of salt and wonder - what if it is something miserable, like 2 in real world conditions? Without a user-replaceable battery, it has to have some good battery life unless you want to be saddled with a charger at home, work, car, etc...
(3) If I so much as glance at my ipod screen, it scratches - hopefully it is more smudge-scratch proof than it seems...
Finally, the software is closed - so you have to wait for Apple to release a "widget" that you could really use but Apple hasn't released it yet.
1) You are in a nitch market, and that's why the iPod satisfies your need. There's a saying, you can't have your cake and eat it too. I've got over 40 Gigs of music... you know what mp3 player I have? The nano 2GB, because I dont have to archive albums on my iPod. in this day in age, for the target market, 8 gigs is PLENTY
I'm loving all the little nit picks that people find to rip on the iPhone (mostly people who don't use Macs and CNET editors who love to speculate). The fact that people are ripping on price, and they don't remember when phones like the Treo first came out, and how much they cost..
my only compaint, it's exclusive to cingular...
ok first i dont think they intended to replace the ipod completely, and if they did they never mentioned which version, i think they went with the nano to replace
2. i think battery life may not be too long but theres still time for this to change by the time the phone is released
3. jobs said they have tested many many version of different glasses for the phone and have come with one that is scratch resistant and resistant to lots of fingerprints
and finally..you are wrong nothing is closed yet, people are starting rumors such as TUAW who spoke to a fricken security guard who probably had no idea what he was talking about, all i know is when people actually asked APPLE themselves, apple said "NO COMMENT"...im going to assume software will be in the works before release date, its a simple feature for windows mobile why not be so for mac..theyre smart too
You are so wrong on point #3. Why don't you look at:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/macworld2...ons-227575.php
It is the same screen as the regular iPod with a touch sensor laid over it.
Also, do your homework before you tell me I am wrong about the closed OS -both that same interview, and Steve Jobs' Newsweek interview (today) confirmed that it will be closed. And if you think you can significant;y improve battery life with new technology in a couple of months, you need to get an education...
But the new Nanos with the flash drive give me 20+ hours of battery life.
I supposedly get 5 hours of video time (or 12+ hours of audio time) on my 60GB iPod with video (Apple's claim; actual life is a bit less).
So, the question is, why am I getting only the equivalent of my spinning HD-based battery life on a flash-based product? Is it perhaps that Apple is finally being honest on this issue? What else is sucking up all the extra battery life on the iPhone?
(2)Apple tends to wildly exaggerate battery life, so if they say 5 hours -I take it with a grain of salt and wonder - what if it is something miserable, like 2 in real world conditions? Without a user-replaceable battery, it has to have some good battery life unless you want to be saddled with a charger at home, work, car, etc...
In my experience apple's battery claims, on iPods especially, are pretty dang accurate. Walter Mossberg does a strenuous batter ytest on every iPod he's ever reviewed, and they always last exactly what apple said they would, and sometimes a little longer.
That said, I imagine one of the very first accessories you'll see for the iPhone is a battery pack.
You are so wrong on point #3. Why don't you look at:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/macworld2...ons-227575.php
It is the same screen as the regular iPod with a touch sensor laid over it.
Also, do your homework before you tell me I am wrong about the closed OS -both that same interview, and Steve Jobs' Newsweek interview (today) confirmed that it will be closed. And if you think you can significant;y improve battery life with new technology in a couple of months, you need to get an education...
ok first of all were both wrong..i guess os x is a closed app phone...but you are also wrong on the glass, watch the keynote where he introduces the phone, he even said it himself that he went through many types of glass that wont be scratched easily or fingerprinted much....this im 100% sure i heard
You are so wrong on point #3. Why don't you look at:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/macworld2...ons-227575.php
It is the same screen as the regular iPod with a touch sensor laid over it.
OK, so it is the same material but with some other material on top of it. For scratch and fingerprint resistance, the important part is the surface, not the substrate. Impact resistance depends more on the substrate and polycarbonate is probably the best choice.
This screen is new to any iPod. it has a higher resolution at 160 PPI so that makes it unique. Add to that a glass platten layer and overlay for the touch electronics and we have a different beast that cannot be compared to previous models.
Stebe does explicitly state they tested a variety of screens, but that could be all RDF hype.
Bottom line, we do not know. its a new screen and not enough peopel have had a chance to examine it up close.
Please be accurate in your statements. While it will probably smudge and scratch SOME, I would expect some of the previous mistakes have been ironed out. Even with Steve's arrogance, Apple rarely makes the same mistake twice.
You are so wrong on point #3. Why don't you look at:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/macworld2...ons-227575.php
It is the same screen as the regular iPod with a touch sensor laid over it.
Also, do your homework before you tell me I am wrong about the closed OS -both that same interview, and Steve Jobs' Newsweek interview (today) confirmed that it will be closed. And if you think you can significant;y improve battery life with new technology in a couple of months, you need to get an education...
What else is sucking up all the extra battery life on the iPhone?
The radio hardware. The bigger screen - especially the backlight. The graphics & processor may be more powerful too.
I can't believe that Cingular will sell 10 million of these when there customers are almost 60 million. Does NOT compute. $500-600 phone in the land of nokia 6010?
I believe 10 million worldwide in 2008 what they're shooting for, which will of course include other cell phone companies.
I can't believe that Cingular will sell 10 million of these when there customers are almost 60 million. Does NOT compute. $500-600 phone in the land of nokia 6010?
Apple's 10 million unit sales target for the iPhone is for Apple's FY08, worldwide - which includes sales in Europe and Asia, not just Cingular/U.S. sales. (And note that's for fiscal year '08, not calendar year, so the meter starts running this coming October 1.)
I just want to get an idea of the price. Over here in the UK everyone is saying 250 for the 4GB and £350 for the 8gb one.