No sense on complaining about Apple not allowing its product to work on other networks. Apple currently is contractually obligated to do so. Accordingly, this will not be changing soon. Moreover, Cingular seemed to be the only company willing to let Apple be Apple.

As far as price goes, Apple is doing what it always does. Introduces a high end product with a high price tag. It will wait until demand wains, and then introduce cheaper models. Giving consumers low cost choices in the beginning would eliminate sales of many of the people willing to pay the big bucks.

Posted by: Terrin | May 16, 2007 4:12 PM

Andy, interesting survey figures though I’m not sure exactly what segment the figures represent. If between 10-25% of you entire survey sample are willing to buy an iPhone within Apple's stated price range based solely on fleeting glimpses in the media, that represents an enormous increase over Apple's stated goal of capturing 1% of the mobile phone market. Could you be a bit more specific?

Apple’ target is 1% of the overall mobile phone market which equals 8 million phones by the end of 2008 at a revenue value of at least $4 billion dollars. Your figures of 10-25% or 80-200 billion dollars just beggars the mind. However, your follow-on article seems to indicate that the figure is 7.6% of all respondents will definitely buy an iPhone which still represents $30 billion in revenue if the survey sample is representative.

No doubt these figures are rubbery particularly as the global market also includes the 3rd World so it is a bit difficult to accurately extrapolate from these figures, but knowing how the original iPod started off almost as expensive as this, as did the Motorola RAZR, it looks like the iPhone is going to be a mammoth product launch for Apple – particularly once they release later 3G models etc.

Staggering.

-Mart

Posted by: Martin Hill | May 16, 2007 4:37 PM

@Terrin: Yes, I'm aware that several networks didn't want to touch Apple, with the demands Steve Jobs put out there. Of course this is only version 1 of the iPhone, too

@Mart: The 14% willing to pay over £250 was of the complete survey sample, though it has to be borne in mind that a lot of those are Apple/iPod owners, and a lot will have come from Shiny's technology blogs - hence pretty tech savvy - though the survey was advertised in more 'general' locations, but still online.

It's a massive figure, though of course this is purely theoretical and I'd be surprised if this many people bought the iPhone.

Feel free to come back with any other questions about the survey - note that there'll be more in depth results on the other questions over the next few days.

Posted by: Andy Merrett | May 16, 2007 5:16 PM

I am fairly inclined to think that the price is not really too high. A standalone 8 Gig iPod and a really nice cell phone would cost at least as much as the iPhone does. I welcome the idea of having one device to carry and deal with versus the current two items I have to deal with. Along with the fact of all the col new features the iPhone offers does make it stand out from what anyone else has to offer currently. However, I do not want to switch networks. Here is America, I have to say, I am not a big fan of Cingular or AT&T. My nephew sells cell phones and multiple services and his recommendations are to NOT use Cingular. In Europe, who knows what will happen. So, MY personal biggest sticking point is the provider. I have to say that Apple was forced to step in it, but that doesn't mean I will. What a shame.

Posted by: John Boyce | May 16, 2007 8:28 PM

Andy, interesting survey figures though I’m not sure exactly what segment the figures represent. If between 10-25% of you entire survey sample are willing to buy an iPhone within Apple's stated price range based solely on fleeting glimpses in the media, that represents an enormous increase over Apple's stated goal of capturing 1% of the mobile phone market. Could you be a bit more specific?

Apple’ target is 1% of the overall mobile phone market which equals 8 million phones by the end of 2008 at a revenue value of at least $4 billion dollars. Your figures of 10-25% or 80-200 billion dollars just beggars the mind. However, your follow-on article seems to indicate that the figure is 7.6% of all respondents will definitely buy an iPhone which still represents $30 billion in revenue if the survey sample is representative.

No doubt these figures are rubbery particularly as the global market also includes the 3rd World so it is a bit difficult to accurately extrapolate from these figures, but knowing how the original iPod started off almost as expensive as this, as did the Motorola RAZR, it looks like the iPhone is going to be a mammoth product launch for Apple – particularly once they release later 3G models etc.

Staggering.

-Mart

Posted by: Martin Hill | May 17, 2007 12:09 AM