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Topic: Mobility

How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

Summary: Apple landed 1 million iPhone 4S preorders in a day. Here's how that demand stacks up with previous launches.

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

Apple landed 1 million preorders in a day for its iPhone 4S in what is its best device launch ever.

However, it's worth going through history to see how the preorders stack up with previous devices to figure out if there was a Steve Jobs effect driving orders. Jobs passed away last week a day after Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S.

Also: iPhone 4S pre-orders tally 1 million in 24 hours

Here's how Apple's iPhone 4S stacks up to previous years.

2011: Mac OS X Lion had 1 million downloads in first day of availability.

Surprisingly, there wasn't a formal announcement with iPad 2 launch orders and sales.

2010: Apple's iPhone 4 delivered 600,000 preorders, but that launch was marred by glitches. Apple said: "It was the largest number of pre-orders Apple has ever taken in a single day and was far higher than we anticipated, resulting in many order and approval system malfunctions. Many customers were turned away or abandoned the process in frustration."

Apple sold 300,000 iPads on the first day. Those sales included preorders.

2009: Apple sold more than 1 million iPhone 3GS devices in three days.

2008: Apple sold 1 million iPhone 3Gs in a weekend in 2008.

2007: Apple sold 2 million copies of Mac OS X Leopard in its first weekend.

Apple sold 1 million iPhones, but took 74 days to get there.

Topics: Mobility, Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Operating Systems, Smartphones, Software

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26 comments
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  • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

    Apple is really an amazing company. Perhaps this could still be the influence of late Steve Jobs. He founded Apple's name into the hearts of the consumers.
    related post - http://www.infotechpeek.com
    xarzyOnZDnet
    Reply Vote

    • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

      @xarzyOnZDnet No, Apple is great at marketing. It's technology is not better then anyone elses, they just make you think that it is and that you MUST have it.
      clcrockett
      Reply Vote

      • Skytalker

        Only you, O Master, are wise enough and strong enough to resist the power of The Force.
        Robert Hahn
        Reply Vote

      • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

        @ccrockett@...Lame argument...first you need something worthwhile to market.
        CowLauncher
        Reply Vote

      • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

        @ccrockett@... The whole "it's all about the marketing" argument is lame. marketing gets one the initial sale but if that product winds up being crap it will not make it. And here we are with the 5th generation iPhone... marketing went out the window a long time ago.
        athynz
        Reply Vote

      • Standard apple-hater tactic 3: Insult the intelligence

        of the buyer.
        baggins_z
        Reply Vote

      • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

        @ccrockett@...
        you dont get it crocket, you dont get it. too bad for you
        theo_durcan
        Reply Vote

      • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

        @ccrockett@...
        This comment betrays a lack of understanding regarding marketing.

        Marketing's job is to get prospective customers to the buying decision point. That's as far as it goes, the product has to actually close the sale and keep it sold.

        If Apple products were as indifferent as you propose, they would have little if any repeat business and that is clearly not the case.

        (disclosure: I own only one apple product and it's not a smart phone)
        elinkjoe
        Reply Vote

      • baggins_z, how is that any different then

        @baggins_z

        the standard MS haters like frough and such?
        William Farrell
        Reply Vote

      • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

        @ccrockett@... See the problem with people like you is that you continue to try and post opinions as facts.
        illwill112
        Reply Vote

      • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

        @ccrockett@... <br><br>Yes. Marketing. ...and also design, implementation, sales, inventory management, holistic integration, invention, r&d and advertising to name a few other things that can convince you (no one makes you) that you are getting something worth paying for. Anyone can disagree.<br><br>But somebody should prove it by doing what they do and better. It is possible, yet still the world is still waiting.
        ShamooToo
        Reply Vote

      • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

        @CowLauncher, @Pete
        He didn't say the products were lame, he just said that they are no better than the competition, but Apple's marketing is streets ahead. THAT is the gift of Steve Jobs and Apple.

        I have 3 mobiles sitting on my desk here, an iPhone, an htc 7 Mozart and an htc Sensation. I've been using the iPhone since 2009, the Mozart for a year and the Sensation for a couple of months.

        The iPhone, including the new 4s, are not better than either of those 2 devices. The 4 / 4s looks a little slicker, with its glass back, but I prefer the "feel" of the htcs in the hand.

        On the OS side, the iPhone was the best, when I got a 3GS, but it loses out big time in usability, compared to WP7 and to a lesser extent Android.

        It loses out on flexibility as well. Live Tiles and Widgets provide a much better home screen experience than just a bunch of icons.

        Apple follow the KISS doctrine "Keep It Simple, Stupid". This works for the technically unaware and the average user. For geeks, it is a cool device, but ultimately limiting.

        What Apple does get right is the integration with iTunes and the complete eco system. Microsoft nearly got it right with WP7 + Zune, but it isn't as slick.

        The biggest example of what Apple gets right is podcasts & audio books. iTunes not only syncs them, but also where you stopped listening on your PC. Zune syncs the podcast, but you have to waste time searching for your place. Android doesn't provide anything, there are third party utilities which help, but it isn't as seemless. THAT is the genius of Apple, the device itself and the user interface aren't any better than the competition, how they implement the little things, and market the whole package, is their genius.

        In hardware terms, the iPhone 4S is about 8 months behind the curve.
        wright_is
        Reply Vote

  • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

    What it comes down to is more people using smart phones so you will see more orders for them. Its not rocket science.
    LoverockDavidson_-24231404894599612871915491754222
    Reply Vote

    • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

      @LoverockDavidson_ not rocket science? How come everyone's not doing it??
      Keita123
      Reply Vote

      • Not everyone needs a rocket

        @Keita123
        ;)
        William Farrell
        Reply Vote

  • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

    Well, now you have 3 carriers in US releasing iPhone 4S simultaneously.<br>iPhone 4 released last year with AT&T only, of course Verizon got its share only after January this year and AT&T had 600,000 orders on day one.<br>Now iPhone 4S is getting release on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint and if you take that into consideration, just 1 million+ is very limited, it should be more than 1.5million with 3 carriers. If you look into the real picture, the stocks of AAPL took a hit after iPhone 4S announcement and of course they bounced back. That means the Wall Street was not happy with iPhone 4S and also the blogosphere was totally not happy with that. But pre-orders are speaking differently because of two reasons, 3 carriers Vs. 1 Carrier and death of Steve Jobs. People are buying this because it is last of Steve Jobs and also if you look into other things, black turtleneck shirts are selling like hot cakes. <br><br>So, it is not the technology only that is selling itself like first iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 4 did, there are other factors that are influencing this.
    Ram U
    Reply Vote

    • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

      @Rama.NET it takes most human beings time to comprehend what has just happened when Apple releases something. That's pretty cool. It's even cooler how so many of the self proclaimed "techies" can't seem to ever wrap their heads around what Apple is doing.
      CowLauncher
      Reply Vote

      • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

        @CowLauncher
        Agreed. I really like when Apple really confuses the blogosphere and Wall Street.
        Ram U
        Reply Vote

  • RE: How Apple's iPhone 4S preorders stack up historically

    @ccrockett That is what sales and marketing is all about.. Doh...
    dominic64_2003@...
    Reply Vote

  • This is only the beginning...

    Think about it. Apple sells more phones on a pre order, than any other smartphone in the history of mankind, and people haven't even seen an advertisement yet that showcases its incredible, world changing feature: Siri<br><br>Now, I know a lot of Apple haters, and people that don't take the time to educate themselves first by reading up on things, understand it yet, but Siri IS NOT voice commands like Android or Windows or any phone out there.<br><br>Siri is AI, and it going to change the world. Apple, once again as it did with the GUI and the mouse, and a multitouch phone, are changing the paradigm once again, not by inventing a technology, but by finding a way to bring it all together in a cohesive format.
    ShazAmerica
    Reply Vote
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