Illuminas tracks iPhone launch in USA

When Apple first announced the iPhone in January 2007, it was widely expected to be an industry-changing phenomenon. Illuminas New York decided to test that theory by tracking public response in the period leading up to and immediately following launch. We learned that the Apple brand itself and its reputation for innovative, intuitive design were the driving forces behind consumer excitement. Perhaps not surprisingly, we also learned that consumer enthusiasm was dampened by Apple’s decision to sign on AT&T as iPhone’s sole carrier. As a result, we expected many of those who would otherwise have jumped on the trend would take a ‘wait and see’ view to determine whether the upsides of the device outweighed the hassle of switching carriers, keeping sales below many industry estimates. Based on 3 waves of tracking, our modeling predicted first year sales for iPhone to hit the 5 million unit mark. In early September, roughly 3 months after launch, Apple announced the milestone of 1 million iPhones sold. With the recent price cut and approaching Christmas season, our evidence-based prediction appears to be right on the money.