In a variation on the new math, 2.0 plus 3G equals $30 million now and about $360 million next summer.

Or in plain English: Apple has raked in about $30 million in sales of iPhone applications in the one month since the company opened its App Store and brought the iPhone 3G onto the market, CEO Steve Jobs told The Wall Street Journal. Jobs also sees big numbers ahead if Apple continues its current pace of selling an average of $1 million worth of applications per day.

That rate would add up to $360 million by the first anniversary of the launch of the iPhone 3G and the App Store, Jobs told the Journal. “Who knows, maybe it will be a $1 billion marketplace at some point in time.”

Or maybe the frenzy will slow down after the novelty wears off. GigaOm’s Om Malik reports that he has downloaded “nearly three dozen apps” but finds only four–Twinkle, Facebook, NetNewsWire, and Shozu–worth using day in and day out. He turned to Pinch Media for some statistical corroboration:

Using the caveat that only a few app makers were using Pinch Analytics library, he pointed out that as per their data, the ratio of free downloads to paid downloads is at least ten-to-one. He also said that the pace of downloads is slowing, which is expected because the early rush is behind us. According to data collected by Pinch Media, on average, less than 20% of an application’s overall unique users return to an application each day. Yardley also pointed out that people are using the apps for just under five minutes at a time, on average. The majority only use the applications once per day - average number of uses per day is around 1.2.

But back to Apple: In the App Store’s first month, Jobs said, iPhone users have downloaded upward of 60 million applications. Many iPhone applications are available for free.

While much of the glory for that accomplishment attends to Apple, a lot of the money does not. About 70 percent of the proceeds–or roughly $21 million so far, Jobs said–are going to the creators of the software applications for the Apple smartphone, leaving 30 percent for Apple itself–or about enough to cover expenses.

The top 10 developers have accounted for about $9 million, or just under half of the total take for developers, Jobs told the Journal.

SOURCE: CNET News

“Best trading weekend of the year so far,” thanks to the Apple iPhone on O2, reckons Orange chief Tom Alexander

Orange UK chief exceutive Tom Alexander (pictured) last week thanked O2’s 3G iPhone for improved sales in Orange stores.

He said: “The launch of the iPhone was Orange’s most successful trading weekend of the year so far.

“People were excited by the product, came out to shop and found other great deals on the high street. Everyone has benefited from the iPhone.”

SOURCE: Mobile News International

RELATED SITES: O2 Offers

As some of you already know, updating your iPhone to firmware 2.01 means that you’ve lost access to all your jailbroken apps. That’s pretty much expected and should be rectified by the DevTeam soon enough. What’s notable from an unlocking perspective, however, is that Apple’s 2.01 release also updates the iPhone 3G baseband. This puts iPhone 3G owners in a bit of a quandary: update now via iTunes in desperate hopes of the stability and improved keyboard response we’ve been seeing but do so at the risk not being able to unlock your iPhone 3G in the future (if and when the DevTeam gets around to releasing it for firmware 2.0). A lot can happen in the course of a 2 year (or longer) carrier commitment. According to the DevTeam, you’ll get all the benefits of Apple’s 2.01 update (without the pesky new baseband) just as soon as they can kick out the updated PwnageTool (current version is 2.01) onto the Internets. Decisions, decisions.

SOURCE: engadget.com

Demand for Apple’s iPhone 3G remains strong, which could be forcing Apple to ramp production beyond its original estimates.

TechCrunch is reporting that Apple has asked Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai, to increase production of the iPhone 3G to 800,000 units a week. That pace translates to about 40 million units a year, far greater than what most analysts had been expecting the company to sell in the iPhone 3G era.

A short-term bump in production capacity may not imply that Foxconn will keep up that pace; TechCrunch’s report alludes to “some concerns about quality control” on the part of either Apple or Foxconn related to the increase. After six weeks with no iPhone sales, there was clearly pent-up demand going into the July 11 launch of the iPhone 3G that may not be sustainable over the rest of the year without causing problems.

But more countries are expected to join the official ranks of iPhone users in the next several months, and the holiday shopping season is usually the catalyst for all sorts of gadgets. A production increase could offset that demand while making it easier to get an iPhone 3G without waiting two weeks for an AT&T direct-fulfillment order or playing iPhone roulette at an Apple store.

SOURCE: news.cnet.com

Carphone says new stock of 3G iPhone will fulfill back orders Carphone Warehouse has confirmed the largest delivery of 3G iPhones since the handset launched on July 11.

Mobile News understands over 800 stores have received the new stock and orders are being taken online.

Carphone would not reveal numbers, but said deliveries would be used to fulfil back orders. It said it expected to satisfy demand over the coming weeks.

SOURCE: Mobile News International

RELATED SITES: The Carphone Warehouse

But broadband customer projections halved to 200,000 thanks to credit crunch Carphone Q2 financial results released today show retail revenues to be up 10 per cent to £498 million, retail gross profit up 1.7 per cent and total mobile connections up 12 per cent to 2.6 million.

UK fixed line revenues are down 1 per cent to £343 million. Forecasts for net new broadband customers this year have been adjusted from 400,000 to 200,000. There are currently 2.8 million broadband customers, with 41,000 net adds in the quarter.

Carphone group chief executive officer Charles Dunstone said rising connection volumes had been driven by smartphone and mobile broadband sales; and market share has grown thanks to the broadening of the retailer’s free laptop offer.

Said Dunstone: “From a strategic perspective, the last few months have seen the most important developments in the group’s history.  The transaction with Best Buy has crystallised significant value and leaves the business in a strong financial position.  We will provide a detailed update on our plans for the new venture in early October.

“Operationally we have made further significant progress in the last three months.  The reorganisation of the group into two discrete operating divisions was successfully achieved in time for the completion of the Best Buy transaction. We have also introduced the laptop proposition into the majority of our UK stores, supported by a major training and development initiative for all our sales consultants.

“While the second quarter has started well, with a sharp pick-up in subscription connections on the back of the iPhone 3G launch, we remain understandably cautious about the consumer environment.  However, the strategic development of our distribution business and the significant operational improvements we are making in fixed line leave us well placed to trade through these uncertain times and emerge as a stronger and better business on the other side.”

Forty-eight new stores were opened in the quarter while 45 were closed. The total store base at the end of June was 2,414.

SOURCE: Mobile News International

RELATED SITES: Carphone Warehouse

O2’s “multi-year exclusive” with Apple precludes rival networks ranging iPhone, despite web rumours to the contrary Orange and O2 have rubbished web rumours the Apple iPhone will appear on the Orange network in the UK in the near future.

O2 restated the fact its contract with Apple is “a multi-year exclusive”, and noted the original iPhone was launched less than a year ago.

Orange also said there is no truth in the rumours linking it with a UK iPhone launch.

Web blogs and tech sites claimed today the 3G version of the iPhone would debut on Orange in the UK in October, following recent multi-carrier deals in other markets andthe sales rate of the device in the UK.

Apple and O2 have both maintained good early sales of the 3G iPhone earlier this month.

SOURCE: Mobile News International

RELATED SITES: O2 Offers

Here is how I got US apps on my UK iPhone. Involves a small upfront cost which can be reedemed against any paid apps on the US store but you’ll find lots of great free one’s too.

Firstly you need to have a US iTunes account to be able to access US apps. To get one you’ll either need a credit card which is registered in the US or the easier way which I used is to buy a $15 iTunes Gift Certificate on-line which you can use to create your US account.

I used the following store to buy my iTunes Gift Certificate:

http://itunes-express.web.officelive.com

The person that runs this on-line store is quite quick and sends your unique code by email. You’ll pay just over $18 for a $15 card. I think this is where the person makes a small profit. If you use XE.com to convert this it works out at about £9.43.

Once you have your voucher code launch iTunes and log-out from your UK account and click to sign-up for a US account. I think there is an option to redeem a gift certificate which is the option you need to use. At this point you’ll also need to give a US address, zip code and telephone number. I simply did a search Google Maps for a McDonalds in Las Vegas and used that address, zip code and telephone number but with my name LOL.

Once done you’ll be taken to the iTunes US store and have $15 showing at the top of your screen. You can now download any free apps and use your $15 for any paid apps if you wish. Make sure you leave a little credit in your account to continue downloading free apps as I don’t know whether it will let you download with zero credit.

I think it’s worth the initial £10 investment to access this store as over time there will be many more apps and some of the apps are free on the US store which are not free on the UK store. For example a small app called iNetworkTest is free on the US store but 59p in the UK. Not much to pull your face at but why pay for it when you can get it free.

TIP: Once you’ve downloaded and installed any US apps to your phone log out of the US store and log back in to your UK account then sync your phone. This sync’s the app store on your phone with the UK. If you don’t do this you’ll notice the app store on your phone is all in $.

Enjoy!

I thought I would post a few ringtones I made for my new iPhone 3G. They are all 30 seconds long or less due to the restrictions on the iPhone. To use any of these ringtones simply right-click over the song and save the file to your desktop.

Once on your desktop double click the file and it will launch iTunes and place it under a new category ‘Ringtones’ if it’s not already been created. That’s it. You’ll need to sync your iPhone of course to get them on.

1. Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl.m4r

2. Mariah Carey - Get Your Number.m4r

3. Kanye West - Flashing Lights.m4r

4. Busta Rhymes ft. Mariah Carey - I Know What You Want.m4r

5. The Herbaliser - 24 Carat Blag.m4r

6. Basement Jaxx - Flylife.m4r

7. State One - Forever and a Day.m4r

8. Tomcraft - Loneliness.m4r

9. Basement Jaxx - Lucky Star.m4r

10. Basement Jaxx - Red Alert.m4r

11. Basement Jaxx - Rendez-Vu.m4r

May/June price cuts lead to record June quarter as Apple shifts 717,000 units

Apple posted its best-ever June quarter on the back of a massive surge in first generation iPhone sales.

Apple said it shifted 717,000 first generation iPhones in the quarter ended June 30, compared to just 270,000 in the same period last year.

Combined with related accessories, iPhone sales generated revenue of $419 million for Apple.

The price of the original iPhone was slashed towards the end of the quarter, during May and June, in the UK, followed by other markets.

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said: “We’re proud to report the best June quarter for both revenue and earnings in Apple’s history. We think we have a real winner with our new iPhone 3G, and we’re busy finishing several more wonderful new products to launch in the coming months.”

Apple chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer said: “We are also off to a good start with the 3G iPhone after its launch in 21 countries, selling one million in just three days. Customer response has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Overall Apple revenue rose by 38 per cent year on year and Apple also saw a big rise in footfall and custom in its retail stores, it said. Sales rose 58 per cent and traffic jumped by 10 million in the Apple stores.

SOURCE: Mobile News International

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