Countries where iPhone sales failed to hit the expected mark

iPhones sold in the US and Canada almost equals the number sold in other countries where the iPhone has been launched. Apple has sold more than 17 million iPhone worldwide, but is still not contend with the overall sales results according to some insiders. When asked about why sales in other countries have not gone so well like in the US? Edward Finn working with Apple in the Sales department said; 

We did a lot of miscalculations and assumptions that have not worked out well as marketing strategies. In some countries, we chose the wrong carrier, in some we launched at the wrong time and at the wrong price. We have learned great things from our mistakes, I believe that from now we can strike harder and faster whenever there is a new product launch.”

When asked about the possibility of iPhone nano launch, he simply replied that he doesn’t have the authority to comment. 

After this short interaction, iphonefootprint team took out some time to ask around why iPhone sales has not clicked in many countries. The report here starts from the far east. 

1. Japan: Japanese don’t like the iPhone first for being not a homemade gadget. When the iPhone was launched, the queue formed outside Softbank outlets was pathetic compared to the ones seen in Apple Stores in the US. Japanese love gadgets that have fancy designs such as flip in flip out or slide in slide out types. The iPhone offers nothing near to their taste when it comes to design. Moreover, people are also not happy about the contract signing business with any network carriers.

The latest marketing strategy of Softbank giving away the iPhone 3G 8GB for free on two year confinement agreement to sell more iPhones in Japan has scared people away rather than attracting them. The Emoji country is about to say “sayonara” to the iPhone. Japanese liking the iPhone was a myth. 

2. Taiwan: In Taiwan, the iPhone was launched by Chunghwa Telecom in December, 2008. Sales projection at the time of launch was to sell 50,000 units by March 2009. However, the actual units sold till date has not even reached half of the rather big target. 

The main reasons for sales failure is believed to be partly because of the compulsory two year contract if customers opt for subsidized payment. Customers who want prepaid have to shell out a whopping $800 dollars and the data plan are not affordable for 2/3 of the population.

3. Singapore: Singtel in Singapore has not done pretty well for the iPhone either. Customers are not happy about the patchy network coverage of the carrier. Customers are not happy about the data plan too. 

4. India: The absence of 3G network is one main reason customers think the phone is not worth the heavy price they gotta pay. Airtel and Vodafone the carriers in India have underperformed for the iPhone. This was one country Apple heavily banked on to make impressive sales because of the fast growing middle class. The iPhone is available contract free here, but the price is too unrealistic compared to the pricing of the same device in the US. In a country having the second largest population in the world, not even 20,000 iPhones have not been sold till date!

5. UK: iPhone sales in UK have reached a million mark. Thanks to the free iPhone contract campaign of O2. However, the sales of iPhone has not made any record, but has been humbled by the sales record of Nokia’s N95. One million units of N95 were sold in seven months, for Apple and O2 it took a painful 16 months to reach the same mark. Non availability of pay as you go option with the iPhone, the compulsory contract requirement are the outcome of this poor sales performance. Only 1.5% of the population has actually bought the iPhone in a country having an estimate of about 60 million people.

These are some of the countries where the iPhone sales has not reached the estimated mark. There are many more countries to be added to the list. Do contribute to the list if iPhone sales in your country is not going so well and the associated reasons.