By: Rene Ritchie

Rene Ritchie — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:07:53 +0000

Maybe s/he has strange, mystical powers!

By: marcol

marcol — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:22:52 +0000

While the general notion and bit about factors driving demand outside of the US seem eminently reasonable, some of the data specifics have me wondering:

If you define a potential user as someone who can afford (or is used to) paying twice as much for an iPhone and double what an AT&T subscriber pays per month, there are at least 7 million potential iPhone users in Nigeria, 9 Million in South Africa, 80 Million in India, 25 Million in Russia, 25 Million in Brazil, 8 Million in Indonesia and 100 Million in China. Not all of them will be users but just 5% of this number is way more than 10 million.

Quantifying numbers of people who can afford something and their spending habits (’is used to paying twice as much) in seven countries seems, to put it mildly, like a very substantial undertaking.

From research I�m conducting. we have conservative numbers of grey market as follows: * Russia 2000 to 4000 phones/week * China 4000 to 6000 phones/week Demand from Western Europe is substantially slower but still significant, averaging anything from 2000 to 3000 units/week from New York and other big cities with international airports.

So now it’s research into essentially clandestine operations? So he (or she) has what, a network of spies?

Hmmm…

Comments on: US iPhone Shortage… Due to INTL Pirates?

By: Rene Ritchie

By: marcol