Apple may have sold 700 000 iPhones during the first weekend - analyst

On Monday, many analysts published their post-launch estimations of the number of iPhones sold during the first week-end after the product's debut. Today, another estimate finds an even more impressive number.

Monday's figures were 315 000 for Shaw Wu (American Technology Research), 500 000 for Gene Munster (PiperJaffray) and 525 000 for Trip Chowdhry (Global Equities Research). Pre-launch estimates ranged from 50 000 to 200 000 units.

David Bailey, analyst at Goldman Sachs now says Apple "shoppers might have bought as many as 700 000 units over the week-end", in a report published on the Chicago Tribune (subscription required). The analyst originally estimated 350 000 units.

The iPhone, which features a combination of a mobile phone, an iPod and an Internet Communictor was launched on Friday, June the 29th in the U.S.A. at Apple and AT&T retail stores and was made available online as well a few hours later. Two models were made available, a 4GB version at $499 and a 8GB version at $599.

Apple and AT&T have not yet provided any official figures or comments to analysts' estimates. The only information one could filter from sales representatives of Apple and AT&T stores was that some of them were sold out, mainly AT&T stores.

Commentators who are in touch with some analysts told MacScoop that it is really difficult to estimate how many of them were actually sold because neither Apple or AT&T stores have communicated on their initial stock and it appears that some flagship Apple Stores were refilled with new stock on a daily basis, making it impossible to deduce the number of iPhones sold based on the number of sold-out stores and an estimate of their stock.

The impossibility to track online sales make the game even more difficult. Both Apple and AT&T also sell the iPhone online, though there are two to four weeks of shipment delay.

Apple's shares were up more than 4% to nearly $127 today on an iSuppli report claiming Apple is making 55% of margin on the most expensive iPhone.

In the interest of full disclosure, we inform you that the author of this article holds a small share in AAPL stock since 2001 that was not an influence in the creation and the publication of this article.