Apple: We are on pace to beat last year's iPhone first-weekend 10M record

[MongGrel]

I still do not own a smart phone I guess.

I must be brain defective.

 

[Midwayman]

I've already tried. The 6 Plus doesn't fit.

I'm 5'7" and slim to medium build.

So jeggins then?

Only pair of pants I'd ever had a problem with on note/6+ sized phones are ones that have noticably short pockets. I have some CK jeans with very small pockets for instance.

 

[blairharrington]

I have some small pockets on certain pants. Never had an issue with my 6+.

I'm 6' and weigh 160 lbs.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Curious if the bigger launch #s have to do with China being in the first group of countries launching. That's a huge customer demand to meet.

 

[Mopetar]

I hope I'm not the only one left who wants a smaller phone lol.

I was kind of hoping that they'd release a 4" phone. It's seems as though there's almost no one targeting that size range anymore. Even the Xperia Compact is creeping up in size and the Moto E seems to be trending that way as well.

 

[QueBert]

I've already tried. The 6 Plus doesn't fit.

I'm 5'7" and slim to medium build.

Your pants are too tight, I'm 5'11 200lbs, I can kneel down and tie my shoes with my 6+ in my pocket without even noticing it's there. I don't wear skinny jeans, but I also don't wear clown pants. I can do everything normal with my phone in my pocket, and it's never caused an issue.

 

[Artdeco]

Curious if the bigger launch #s have to do with China being in the first group of countries launching. That's a huge customer demand to meet.

I noticed all the 6s+ variants sold out for China almost instantly.

One of the analysts that has a pretty good track record says the 6s+ supplies are constrained by shortages of the backlighting module.

Not saying Apple isn't above gaming the #'s, for instance including China in the launch countries gave a nice boost to the numbers, but I think Apple wants to sell everything it can make.

 

[Commodus]

I wouldn't even call it gaming so much as acknowledging where Apple's bread is buttered. When China is one of your most important markets, you give it a lot of units. As it stands, it doesn't sound like North American or European supplies were so constrained that you couldn't get an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus if you were reasonably quick.

I'm not counting on an increase on the order of the 5s-to-6 transition, but the early signs suggest that Apple is at least looking at a significant boost to sales. Right now, the biggest question is whether or not rivals will see the same. The Chinese market isn't so hot, and Samsung hasn't had any luck turning things around, but I don't want to rule things out.

 

[Cakefish]

Interesting that the jumbo phone is sold out. Speaks volumes about the size people want. I hope I'm not the only one left who wants a smaller phone lol.

You're not. I've preordered a Sony Xperia Z5 Compact.

I'm 5'5". I win the award for being the smallest person contributing to this thread!

 

[StrangerGuy]

I noticed all the 6s+ variants sold out for China almost instantly.

One of the analysts that has a pretty good track record says the 6s+ supplies are constrained by shortages of the backlighting module.

Not saying Apple isn't above gaming the #'s, for instance including China in the launch countries gave a nice boost to the numbers, but I think Apple wants to sell everything it can make.

China demand is always stupid high; the standard practice is for flippers to buy in Singapore and HK then resell it at significantly higher prices to mainlanders in China.

 

[amyklai]

Not saying Apple isn't above gaming the #'s, for instance including China in the launch countries gave a nice boost to the numbers, but I think Apple wants to sell everything it can make.

Of course they want to sell as much as possible.

But to reach that goal, they need to make sure that the iPhone is seen as a desirable product.

In fact, they're masterful at playing the "this is a desirable product" game.
And long lines in front of Apple stores, "sold out" and record sales numbers are all part of that game.

 

[Commodus]

Of course they want to sell as much as possible.

But to reach that goal, they need to make sure that the iPhone is seen as a desirable product.

In fact, they're masterful at playing the "this is a desirable product" game.
And long lines in front of Apple stores, "sold out" and record sales numbers are all part of that game.

I'm sure they don't mind a bit of that scarcity fuelling demand, but I think you overestimate Apple's ability and willingness to create artificial shortages.

In many cases, its shortages have been triggered by supplier issues, like part shortages or simply taking a long while to ramp up production. Also, I don't think it likes weeks-long delays to get products any more than you do -- that costs sales and hurts its quarterly results. It stands to benefit the most from a good supply/demand balance, and finding that point is usually tricky early on.

 

[deathBOB]

I'm sure they don't mind a bit of that scarcity fuelling demand, but I think you overestimate Apple's ability and willingness to create artificial shortages.

In many cases, its shortages have been triggered by supplier issues, like part shortages or simply taking a long while to ramp up production. Also, I don't think it likes weeks-long delays to get products any more than you do -- that costs sales and hurts its quarterly results. It stands to benefit the most from a good supply/demand balance, and finding that point is usually tricky early on.

To add to that: there aren't many (or any?) other consumer products that sell so many units in such a short time.

 

[amyklai]

I'm sure they don't mind a bit of that scarcity fuelling demand, but I think you overestimate Apple's ability and willingness to create artificial shortages.

In many cases, its shortages have been triggered by supplier issues, like part shortages or simply taking a long while to ramp up production. Also, I don't think it likes weeks-long delays to get products any more than you do -- that costs sales and hurts its quarterly results. It stands to benefit the most from a good supply/demand balance, and finding that point is usually tricky early on.

Of course, supplier problems play their part. But knowing Apple's marketing and supply-chain savvy, you'd be a fool to think that years and years of waiting lines and temporary shortages are an accident.

That's the kind of publicity every company craves, and Apple are definitely doing what they can to keep it going.

 

[RaulF]

Interesting that the jumbo phone is sold out. Speaks volumes about the size people want. I hope I'm not the only one left who wants a smaller phone lol.

You are not.

I went from 6+ to 6S, and i am loving it. 6+ is just too big.

 

[foghorn67]

I would have loved a 6s that was half to a full mil thicker for more battery. Using BT on a call can drain a 6 fast.

 

[catinthefurnace]

I would have loved a 6s that was half to a full mil thicker for more battery. Using BT on a call can drain a 6 fast.

Hmm, not at all in my experience. I use BT on calls almost exclusively on my 6. Never had the battery drain noticeably faster than normal. Maybe the device you were using is pre-Bluetooth 4.0?

 

[catinthefurnace]

Of course, supplier problems play their part. But knowing Apple's marketing and supply-chain savvy, you'd be a fool to think that years and years of waiting lines and temporary shortages are an accident.

That's the kind of publicity every company craves, and Apple are definitely doing what they can to keep it going.

I wholly disagree, and don't believe that I'm a fool. What other new product sells 10 million plus units in the first week each year? (at least these last two years) Even in past years we are always talking in the millions of units available at launch.

Anyone that has ever seen what a supply chain looks like for any complex product is laughing at that comment right now. Especially because the availability has been relatively very good for iPhones at launch. There is no need to employ tricks to boost demand for iPhones. It's extremely hard (foolish) to argue purposeful shortages when over 10 million units are available at launch.

Also, if Apple wanted to play that game, they wouldn't have allowed preorders, and would make showing up at a store the only way to buy at launch. Apple realized that the circus that creates is bad for sales so they dropped it long ago despite the front page media attention it gave them. They want to sell more phones, and will do whatever is most efficient at achieving that goal. Demand is not a concern.

 

[Commodus]

Of course, supplier problems play their part. But knowing Apple's marketing and supply-chain savvy, you'd be a fool to think that years and years of waiting lines and temporary shortages are an accident.

That's the kind of publicity every company craves, and Apple are definitely doing what they can to keep it going.

Not necessarily foolish. As Hanlon's Razor says: never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity (or in this case, lack of knowledge). Apple can make educated guesses about demand, but it's virtually impossible for the company to know how many units it will sell to a very precise degree.

The most you could realistically suggest is that Apple wants to avoid overstocking when it can, and it would rather err on the side of having too few units than too many. However, it's hard to say that even this is happening, since it also has a strong motivation to get devices in buyers' hands. Cachet means nothing if a customer ends up buying an Android phone because the iPhone they wanted wasn't in stock.

 

[theeedude]

Tim Cook keeps pumping AAPL stock on CNBC for some reason...

 

[Commodus]

Tim Cook keeps pumping AAPL stock on CNBC for some reason...

That's because he has an incentive to stop investors from freaking out... within reason, of course (there are rules about quiet periods and all). Few things irk a CEO more than watching company stock tank because of rumors, especially when those rumors are false.

 

[holden j caufield]

Tim Cook keeps pumping AAPL stock on CNBC for some reason...

Haven't seen it but it seems desperate when people do this.

 

[catinthefurnace]

Haven't seen it but it seems desperate when people do this.

I feel like Frank Grimes right now. AH! ee Ahh!

 

[StrangerGuy]

Haven't seen it but it seems desperate when people do this.

After shipping more than Samsung with purely $600+ phones last holiday season, iPhones consistently outsell themselves YoY, locking up almost all the profits in phones, tablets and consumer PCs = Apple is underperforming, because.

Unrealistic investors should get a brutal kick to the genitals like they deserve.

 

[theeedude]

After shipping more than Samsung with purely $600+ phones last holiday season, iPhones consistently outsell themselves YoY, locking up almost all the profits in phones, tablets and consumer PCs = Apple is underperforming, because.

Unrealistic investors should get a brutal kick to the genitals like they deserve.

I wouldn't say it's under performing. I mean it's worth like 15 times what HP is worth, so a lot of their success is already in the price.