Apple's iPhone Misses UK Sales Targets

Sales of Apple's iPhone in the UK have reportedly fallen short of expectations. O2, the UK network with exclusive rights to the iPhone said at the launch that it expected to sell some 200,000 handsets in the first two months after the launch. The sales target was considered by some analysts as being artificially lower than expectations so that the company could claim a "staggering success" if the target was smashed. However, sources have told the London Financial Times that sales barely reached 190,000.

O2 declined to comment on iPhone sales figures, but said it was "delighted with the response to the iPhone, which has seen unprecedented levels of customer satisfaction". It also confirmed the iPhone was its fastest-selling handset ever "by a significant margin".

Equally, the UK retail chain CarphoneWarehouse refused to comment on sales volumes when announcing its results last week, but comments about the high footfall in the stores being successfully converted to other handsets may hint that iPhone enquiries are not translating into sales as easily as the companies had expected.

iPhone sales had been strong in the run up to Christmas, but had subsequently tapered off, according to people familiar with the situation.

On the web: Financial Times

Posted to the site on 20th January 2008