iPhone 3GS is sold out down under as US marketshare explodes

Jonny Evans
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August 05, 2009
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While Russia may have problems shifting its iPhones, it’s no way the same Down Under in Australia, where reports this week state the iPhone 3GS is selling out.

See, seems none of the iPhone-selling carriers in Australia have any iPhones left to sell, and even Apple’s own online shop can only promise to get your iPhone 3GS to you after a week’s wait.

In Australia, Telstra’s online store says: “Please Note: There is currently a global shortage of iPhone models, and we are out of stock of some models. Register here to receive email notification once we have new stock.”

3Mobile, Optus, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile all report the same problems, promising that fresh supplies of Apple’s must-have handheld will reach them in mid-August. This news shows that, at least this soon after launch, demand for the iPhone 3GS in Oz continues to outstrip supply.

No surprise then that a pair of analyst reports released yesterday show Apple’s grabbing an armful of customers with its new device. Bernstein Research has published a report claiming that iPhone now accounts for 8% of all mobile revenue, and 32% of the mobile industry''s handset profits.

And a second report from IDC claims the iPhone 3GS to be the second most popular handset sold in this year’s second quarter, eclipsed only by the BlackBerry Curve.

Here’s America’s top ten iPhones for your visual delectation and delight (according to IDC’s estimates). Note the number four position also belongs to Cupertino.

1. BlackBerry Curve
2. iPhone 3GS
3. BlackBerry Pearl
4. iPhone 3G
5. BlackBerry Bold
6. BlackBerry Storm
7. HTC T-Mobile G1
8. Palm Pre
9. HTC Touch Pro
10. HTC Touch Diamond

(One remark though - with the iPhone 3GS not making its debut until June, we confess to some bafflement as to how it could top the Q2 sales chart, when June is the last month of the second quarter - presumably this means the Curve’s days at the top of the tree could be numbered?)

Comments (18)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 3:14am

iPhone 626% increase - Apple third financial bulletin statistics "And a second report from IDC claims the iPhone 3GS to be the second most popular handset sold in this year’s second quarter, eclipsed only by the BlackBerry Curve." I think the report is incorrect, even though correct, iPhone's global achievement is better than BlackBerry iPhone's growth is benefit from App Store which bunch all apple product except lower iPod devices, I expect Apple's future is better because App store's attraction and iPod touch's wifi phone.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 3:42am

In Hong Kong... one of the very few countries where you can buy it online without a contract and officially unlocked... the wait period is 2 weeks!

Though they're delivering within 10 days. Just got mine a few days back.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 4:00am

Does the Hong Kong model have some Chinese government restrictions concerning Wi-fi etc.?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 4:09am

Nope. No restrictions. It's the complete iPhone 3GS. You can officially buy it online and use it with any carrier world wide.

Here's the link.
http://store.apple.com/hk/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone?mco=MTE2OTU

It's expensive though... but atleast you're not tied down to any carrier or plan.

iPhone 3G (8GB) - US $579
iPhone 3GS (16GB) - US $695
iPhone 3GS (32GB) - US $811

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 4:20am

I Live in Finland and all the unlocked iPhones are imported from countries like Italy. That raises the price up to 1150 USD. I'd really like to have one for less than 900 USD.

We have one telco in Finland which has some absurdly priced plans for the iPhone, so I am very interested in unlocked models.
Besides that I'm also tied to another carrier for 16 months.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 3:49am

you cut off tassie!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 4:09am

In Germany the waiting period is four weeks or more...

Spotty (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 5:03am

Since 17 July 09, iphones have been available from all the mobile network carriers and some other resellers. The iphone works with all our network carriers - although two of them only have 900 MHz 3G in rural areas which is no use to iphones but then the iphone falls back to their GSM networks.

From late Jun 09, Apple in Oz started selling iphones unlocked form their retail stores, then a few weeks later on-line unlocked started. Going by the sales figures released by Apple in the last Qtr report, there are at least 1,000,000 iphones (3G or 3GS) sold by apple and in customers hands; 5% market penetration is not bad in just over 1 year of sales (Oz being a country of around 22,000,000 people). That was relatively old data and the hot-cakes have kept selling fast - so the figures will be much bigger again by now.

iphones are very popular here - No wonder Apple has sold out of stock!

Cheers from Oz!

Yellowhornetq (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 7:49am

Which is the best carrier to go with for the iPhone 3GS - I am moving to Oz (Brisbane) in about 3 weeks and will be looking at getting one - looks to me that Vodafone offer the best deal - but would be interested in your opinion.

aussie (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 7:56am

Yea just avoid Optus they have bad reception

Telstra is the best but very expensive

MacSebi (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 6:48pm

Delivered from OZ, my order took 2 days to get to Wellington. :)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 5:36am

the story was about Australia. Not Tassie. ; )

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 6:02am

Tasmania (Tassie) is a state in Australia, that small island south of Victoria was cut off in the picture

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 7:04am

It sounded slightly disturbing ...

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 7:39am

In Greece, 3GS was launched last Friday. By Friday pm, the two carriers who sell the iPhone had 'out of stock' notices on their websites.

Swede (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 3:45pm

In Sweden they sold out the first day and we have to wait 2-5 weeks for the next delivery of like 10 iPhones/store. Sux :/

MacSebi (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 6:43pm

Living in New Zealand I ordered two iPhones from the AppleStore NZ the day before yesterday (Tuesday).

1x16GB black, 1x32GB black. both unlocked.

Even though the status was 5-7 business days, I received my shipping email on the same day, saying that delivery was estimated to be next monday (10th).
Well..... TNT just came in and dropped the package :) That's 2 days guys! :-)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 05, 2009 - 11:33pm

America's top ten "iPhones"? ;)