AT&T: iPhone Business Slower, Still Strong
by Peter Kafka
Posted on April 22, 2009 at 5:05 AM PT
Recession or not, there are plenty of people still willing to plunk down $199 or more for a high-end phone. Especially if it’s Apple’s iPhone: AT&T reports that it activated more than 1.6 million iPhones in the last quarter.
If you’re a glass half-empty sort, you could note that the number is down from 1.9 million in the last quarter of 2008, and down from 2.4 million in the quarter before that. But AT&T (T) isn’t complaining. It happily notes that its iPhone customers spend a lot more on their phone bills than their average subscribers–about 1.6 times more per month–and are less likely to leave.
We’ll get a more complete snapshot of the iPhone’s performance this afternoon, when Apple (AAPL) delivers its earnings report card. I’ll cover the earnings call, scheduled for 5 p.m. Eastern time, live.
Comments
The prior quarter included holiday shopping. This quarter included sharp rises in unemployment.
The iPhone is still on track for world domination.
Posted by ross richardson at April 22nd, 2009 at 5:16 amI was just thinking glass half-empty when I read Scott Moritz here:
http://www.thestreet.com/_yaho.....;cm_ite=NA
Moritz is basing opinion about the iPhone on history. He should be able to look at scrambling imitators and realize the iPhone isn’t playing by the old rules.
First rule of Apple: Apple makes the rules. Others follow.
As an aapl long I tend to ignore his negative spin on almost everything Apple.
Posted by Brendan Walsh at April 22nd, 2009 at 7:50 amAs long as AT&T has the exclusive on iPhone it won’t rule the world.
When my contract is up with AT&T, I’ll go anywhere but AT&T.
Posted by Eli Bensky at April 22nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm