Samsung's 1M units sold: A little perspective on iPhone competition
In case you haven't heard, Samsung sold a million Galaxy S phones in the first month and a half. Those aren't iPhone numbers, not even close, but not bad. Does that mean Android is finally catching up in sales as well as hype? Let's take a closer look at the numbers.
First, wake me up when a competing product sells a million in the first couple of days. The Galaxy S sells at less than one-tenth the rate of the iPhone, and we are supposed to be impressed? What am I missing? Why should this even be considered news? It is only meaningful in the realm of low expectations which is Android. For this to be news, you have to pretend that the iPhone does not exist. There was a time when a million sales in 45 days was newsworthy. Now, it is just pathetic.
Second, the Galaxy S is not a phone; it is a series of 4 phones on different carriers, each, slightly different. In this case, the numbers are from the two phones that are available from AT&T and T-Mobile. Combining the total number of sales from multiple phones to compare them against one phone doesn't seem completely honest or fair. Then again, we've seen this trick before.
Finally, the biggest con is that a million Galaxy S branded phones were "sold" at all. The sad fact is during much of that time, both phones could be had for free with contract. Even now, you can get them for free. Let me be clear, THESE ARE FREE PHONES! We will likely never know the number of phones they actually "sold". These types of sales announcements try to blur the difference between premium phones and free phones. How many iPhones could be given away for free with contract? Hint, Asia does not have the manufacturing capacity to find out. It does little good to compare the number of people lined up at a free soup kitchen and the number of people lined up at Ruth's Chris. Once you start giving your stuff away for free, you are not playing the same game anymore. You just as well stop keeping score.
When the headlines first hit the wire, these facts were not given the column inches needed for a clear perspective on the subject. The Galaxy S does not represent a change in iPhone competition; it just represents a shift in how sales numbers are massaged. I am still waiting for the first, real iPhone competitor.
First, wake me up when a competing product sells a million in the first couple of days. The Galaxy S sells at less than one-tenth the rate of the iPhone, and we are supposed to be impressed? What am I missing? Why should this even be considered news? It is only meaningful in the realm of low expectations which is Android. For this to be news, you have to pretend that the iPhone does not exist. There was a time when a million sales in 45 days was newsworthy. Now, it is just pathetic.
Second, the Galaxy S is not a phone; it is a series of 4 phones on different carriers, each, slightly different. In this case, the numbers are from the two phones that are available from AT&T and T-Mobile. Combining the total number of sales from multiple phones to compare them against one phone doesn't seem completely honest or fair. Then again, we've seen this trick before.
Finally, the biggest con is that a million Galaxy S branded phones were "sold" at all. The sad fact is during much of that time, both phones could be had for free with contract. Even now, you can get them for free. Let me be clear, THESE ARE FREE PHONES! We will likely never know the number of phones they actually "sold". These types of sales announcements try to blur the difference between premium phones and free phones. How many iPhones could be given away for free with contract? Hint, Asia does not have the manufacturing capacity to find out. It does little good to compare the number of people lined up at a free soup kitchen and the number of people lined up at Ruth's Chris. Once you start giving your stuff away for free, you are not playing the same game anymore. You just as well stop keeping score.
When the headlines first hit the wire, these facts were not given the column inches needed for a clear perspective on the subject. The Galaxy S does not represent a change in iPhone competition; it just represents a shift in how sales numbers are massaged. I am still waiting for the first, real iPhone competitor.
Comments
You can belittle the "sales" of the Galaxy S and cry "Apple is superior!" as much as you want, but at the end of the day, those are still 1 million handsets in the hands of users.
What am I missing?
You are missing that the iphone 4 was sold in US, UK, Germany, France and Japan in the opening weekend --- to get that 1.7 million iphone sold figures.
You are missing that the iphone 4 has been sold for free as well in these other countries as well.
You are missing that the iphone 4 was sold in US, UK, Germany, France and Japan in the opening weekend --- to get that 1.7 million iphone sold figures.
You are missing that the iphone 4 has been sold for free as well in these other countries as well.
Good points!
To compare the 1.7 million iPhone to the 1 million Galaxy S sales, we need to know how many iPhone 4s were sold in the US alone. A number which Apple won't say.
The Galaxy S has been sold in other countries as well and we don't know the total, worldwide sales numbers when those other countries are added in.
So comparing the 1.7 million worldwide iPhone 4 sales to the 1 million Galaxy S US sales number and claiming "Apple success/superior!" is dishonest to say the least.
AT&T Reports 3.2 Million iPhone Activations In Q2 2010
To compare the 1.7 million iPhone to the 1 million Galaxy S sales, we need to know how many iPhone 4s were sold in the US alone. A number which Apple won't say.