Revising their previous target of 600,000 HTC G1s shipped by the end of 2008, HTC CEO Peter Chou has disclosed that the company now expects to ship at least 1 million of the world’s first Android handset by year’s end.
Of course, these numbers may seem a bit low if you’re still going on the false idea that pre-orders alone reached 1.5 million, a count which blazed across the internet as a result of some faulty calculations in a Motley Fool story.
While it’s not quite as mind-boggling as the 1 million iPhone 3Gs Apple sold in just 3 days after launch, pushing one million handsets in 2 1/2 months is no small feat. According to a comment made by Steve Jobs in July, the original iPhone broke the 1 million mark in 74 days, which also works out to just about 2 1/2 months. By units shipped, the first Android phone is looking to be as much of a success as the first Apple phone.
So why might HTC be seeing an increase in orders? Traditional factors (like marketing) aside, I’d imagine that much of the success stems from worth-of-mouth triggered by Android Market applications. When a handset does something cool, owners show it off; the easier it is to add more cool stuff to the device, the more likely it is that people will be saying “Hey! Check this out.” As more intriguing applications make their way to the market, demand for Android handsets will go up as a result.
[Via Digitimes]
Thats an incredible feat. Especially since most people in the non tech world really didn’t know anything about the phone till it released. The iphone 3g had a year of the original iphone giving it tons of press as well as Apple’s marketing machine. Android is still a brand new system, and people are seeing the potential of it quickly.
HTC, T-Mobile and Google really did do an outstanding job here. The American mobile market is notoriously difficult for new platforms to crack, and a million sales is quite the achievement.
I wonder how many will be sold before the product is EOL’d?
Greg,
Any idea when it will arrive in Asia?
I’m sure these sales numbers will be trumpeted around the internet to justify the claim that Android can compete with the iPhone. Let this be a warning to those of you who are considering such treachery: Beware the wrath of Emperor Steve!
One more cool stuff for android http://www.zinsure.net
The damm thing is that I need to get these lazy insurers to buy this app
that’s going to be an awfully heavy shipment… those G1 phones are stinkin’ heavy… like holding a brick in your hand!
Mike I want some what you are smoking..
The REASON IS SIMPLE.. the phone rocks. Its better than an iphone, it has a removable battery, better camera, key board, compass, gravity sensor, faster 3G speed, better sync and integration, a FASTER CPU AND it costs 10% less to produce then an iphone. Also customer service (tmobile) is miles better then ATT aeh, cingular, aeh the new ATT or cingular or whatever. Oh and it’s open source, not bricked up and locked up like the iphones…
Oh and Mike stop smoking what you’ve been having.. seems to cloud your judgement
Um, Mike didn’t write this post (Greg did).
I agree AT&T sucks to deal with, that is the main reason I passed on the Iphone. G1 is a great phone and has been getting better since release. Lots of great new FREE apps in the store each week.
HTC phones has been selling really well in Asia ( I have HTC Touch and HTC Cruise in the past) and and I do hope that this time round, G1 can reach Asia asap. I cannot wait to get one.
Have you seen the other smartphones on the T-Mobile line up?? It wouldn’t surprise me if half their subscriber base is switching to the G1. But the key metric is how many NEW subscribers have it won them? I bet it’s not much more than a few hardcore techies because this device is too heavy, clunky and downright UGLY to appeal to the mass consumer. The thing is HTC makes nice WinMobile devices so I wonder if this is just a stop-loss device until a nicer, cleaner G2 comes to market…
I think one of the main reasons Android powered phones and the iPhone will be big hits next year are the apps.
I know RIM is coming out with apps, but the thing is that not everyone wants a business or social networking app on their phone.
In stressful times, people need a way to relax, and having Pandora or a cool game can help you unwind.
As far as I can tell, 2009 may be the year that the iPhone battles Android (with Windows Mobile and Palm going by the wayside).
Please do not compare iPhone 3G’s 1-million-in-3-days record with the G1. iPhone 3G was simultaneously launched in more than 20 countries, where as the G1 was launched only in the U.S. and then in the UK more than a month later.
So yeah enough of your fanboyish fact fudging.
Fanboyish fact fudging in favor of the iPhone? Odd, considering I use a G1.
OK, then perhaps it’s sensationalist reporting. Unless of course you would like to dispute what I stated in my initial comment.
I have one, Schonfeld has one.
Everybody was waiting for this phone????
This phone is the godsend. I showed it to people at work and they were gawking over it.
Good news for us.
I still want an Andriod OS in a HTC Touch HD!
Oh btw
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There is a huhge difference between web services and selling hardware in a retail store.
Microsoft had already retail experience with their software, still their XBOX proved to be a bit more difficult.
Google not.
Apple has experience with retail hardware and software since long:; Apple II, Mac and iPod.
Nokia (#1) and Samsung (#2) have retail hardware experience.
The components in the HTC phone are from Samsung.
I’m excited to hear the G1 getting that kind of traction. The growth and fragmentation of the smartphone/handset market is a boon for companies like ours – http://www.rmbrME.com, cross-platform business card beaming.
The iPhone’s vibrant app market and leading-edge consumer attitudes helped us establish a lead there that would have been difficult on any other platform; we’re intrinsically supportive of the iPhones dominance. But the fragmentation of the market and rapid ascent of new handsets is great for all of us that work on cross-device services – where third parties bear the brunt of doing what the handset and software companies can’t – “standardize”.
Within the next 5 years, almost all Americans will have “smart” phones capable of internet and email – but they won’t all be iPhones. :) That means more opportunity for all of us.
-Gabe
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