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20070724 Tuesday July 24, 2007

iPhlop: iPhones (without Java ME tech) sales disappoint

Wow! What a big letdown that Apple could only get 146,000 iPhones activated on June 29 and 30, when the initial launch occurred. Jeez, Louise! There are that many Java ME phones activated around the world on the average about every 90 minutes. Steve Jobs better get out of the cell phone business now while he still can save face.

Or, he can put Java ME technology on the iPhone to boost his sales. Either way...

See:

iPhlop: iPhone stumbles without Java ME

Here's a quote: 

 [AT&T Wireless'] announcement 
 Tuesday morning that it had 
 activated a total of 146,000 
 iPhones on June 29 and 30 was 
 met with something less than 
 enthusiasm.  Apple fans and 
 industry analysts had been 
 looking for about double that 
 number.

[Java ME and J2ME] ( July 24, 2007 09:11 AM ) Permalink Comments [16]

Comments:

I knew you would be all over this ;-) ...there's more: http://blueboard.com/smalljava/archives/72 Looks like demand is weak in stores according to at least one analyst.

Posted by asj on July 24, 2007 at 09:20 AM PDT #

Have some common sense. That's 146,000 AT&T activations in 2 days, with all of AT&Ts activation problems. This number is NOT the number of product sales. Maybe you should spend your time more wisely and work on Sun iProfit product?

Posted by Adam Khel on July 24, 2007 at 10:19 AM PDT #

Hi Adam,

Don't blame me for saying 146,000 AT&T activations is a disappointment. It's the press that says that. See: MarketWatch Story on iPhone activations.

And, yes there is a correlation between activations and sales. Everyone knows it's not a 1:1 ratio, but as the press reports it's not a good sign if the activations didn't meet the activation numbers. Wall Street agrees as you can see by the Apple stock price today: AAPL

Hinkmond

Posted by Hinkmond Wong on July 24, 2007 at 11:02 AM PDT #

Since the expectations were up to 700,000 units in those 2 days (I think this was Goldman Sachs?), I would think activations of 146k are a real disappointment, since analysts note that activation problems were not a major problem in most cases. However, I disagree with Hinkmond that something like Java would have made any difference. The thing is over-expensive, let's put it at that. But in the long run, not being able to run client apps on it is a big blow when it comes to very widespread use among younger people.

Posted by asj on July 24, 2007 at 05:05 PM PDT #


Well put, Airlan! :-) (Even if you do disagree with me you make some strong points. Eh, I do work on Java ME dontcha know, so I do have a well-known slight bias in my rationale... ;-))

Hinkmond

Posted by Hinkmond Wong on July 24, 2007 at 05:26 PM PDT #

Why would anyone want Java ME on their iphone? Seriously, what Java ME application would the typical iphone user want? I've had Java ME of other phones, and never used ANY Java ME applications, so what am I missing?

Posted by Alex Valentine on July 24, 2007 at 09:47 PM PDT #

Alex - you're missing the opportunity for people like Hinkmond to run their software on your vital device. Is that necessarily a bad thing?

Posted by 88.96.136.14 on July 25, 2007 at 03:42 AM PDT #


Hi Alex,

Typical cell phone users use the following Java ME apps all the time. I suggest you check them out since they are free, very cool, and easy to use (and you cannot find them on any iPhone):

  1. Google Maps
  2. Yahoo Go! Mobile
  3. IM+
  4. Batman Begins
  5. WordKing Poker

Hinkmond

Posted by Hinkmond Wong on July 25, 2007 at 08:59 AM PDT #

Hinkmond, the major apps you talk about are available on the iPhone already, without JME. Also, the numbers on iPhone sales are now out, 270,000 sold in the first 30 hours. AAPL stock up $2.37 and $11+ in after hours trading. SUNW up 1 cent and down 1 cent in after hours. Now then, what do they say about people in glass houses?

Posted by Adam Khel on July 25, 2007 at 03:54 PM PDT #


Hi Adam,

While some of the same functionality might be on the iPhone, apps such as Google's Mobile GMaps only run on Java ME tech-enabled phones. And, as you see in other articles about iPhone security, you'd have to run their pseudo-equivalent apps on a platform with a serious security hole. Hey, it's your choice... :-)

I'm not throwing stones at Apple, just saying that while it's nice that they are a company that can sell a lot of iPods & Mac computers (that's the +$11 bump up in after-hours trading you are seeing today), activating only 146,000 iPhones and selling only 270,000 is not good, when their target was supposed to be 700,000. They can do better if they include Java ME technology in their next batch of iPhones, though. Just a suggestion. ;-)

Hinkmond

Posted by Hinkmond Wong on July 25, 2007 at 06:02 PM PDT #

Hinkmond, this is where you are wrong, "when their target was supposed to be 700,000." Apple never said they were targeting 700K phones to sell in 30 hours time. It's the press and inexperienced analysts who made these types of predictions. Also, JME would not have helped sales.

Posted by Adam Khel on July 25, 2007 at 07:19 PM PDT #


Hi Adam,

Sorry for the confusion. I never wrote that Apple said they were targeting 700,000 iPhones. I wrote "their target" meaning Apple's target (as set by Goldman Sachs). See: Story

Goldman Sachs had estimated sales of 700,000 units that weekend... You might call Goldman Sachs inexperienced, but that's reaching a bit. :-)

And, about 1 billion cell phones will be sold this year. See this old article from 2006: About 1 billion cell phones will sell this year 2007. About 80% of those have Java ME technology. That's about 800 million Java ME cell phones selling this year (2007). That's about 4.4 million every 2 days. 4.4 million vs. 270,000 in 2 days. There's a difference there that can be tapped into... ;-)

Hinkmond

Posted by Hinkmond Wong on July 25, 2007 at 08:00 PM PDT #

Ok, Hinkmond, you can crow now ;-)

The official line is that 270k units were sold in 2 days, WAY BELOW analysts who were expecting 500k, and even 700k units (Goldman Sachs).

Jobs also said he "hopes" they sell 1 million units after 3 months of sales (1 quarter). Not exactly enormous numbers when you consider Nokia sells about 1 million phones PER DAY!

Posted by asj on July 25, 2007 at 09:21 PM PDT #

Btw, to the several people posting here who seem to be offended that Hinkmond is castigating the iPhlop, you DO know this is a Java ME site, right? Right?

When the iPhone can actually run useful client apps and is more than just an overpriced, crippled toy, THEN you'll see Hinkmond starting to get that luvin' feeling about all things Apple ;-)

Posted by asj on July 25, 2007 at 09:37 PM PDT #

Unfortunately there are no USEFUL java apps. Just take a look at java.com to see how worthless Java is on a phone.

Posted by 198.145.33.2 on July 26, 2007 at 09:28 AM PDT #


Thanks, Airlan for your comments! :-) Don't let the detractors take up our time, like Mr. 198.145.33.2 from Vancouver, Washington. He probably is a product of too much rain and really bad weather. ;-)

There are plenty of people who know how useful Java ME technology is on their cell phones. I post about cool and useful Java ME apps all the time, like the Math Lab MIDlet today. See: http://blogs.sun.com/hinkmond/date/20070726

There will always be the people who can't see (or refuse to see) the truth that Java ME tech on billions of cell phones really kicks butt.

Hinkmond

Posted by Hinkmond Wong on July 26, 2007 at 09:39 AM PDT #

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