A new iPhone is coming. This we know. Sept. 12 is the rumored date for the device's unveiling, which is less than a month away. Many are expecting to see unprecedented upgrade activity to drive tremendous sales, and Apple
The latest analyst to chime in with massive estimates is Craig Berger, an FBR Capital Markets analyst who expects the device, be it named the "iPhone 5" or otherwise, to sell upwards of 250 million units throughout its lifetime, generating incremental earnings per share of $50 over that timeframe. Based on an average selling price of $575, that turns into almost $144 billion in sales and an estimated $47 billion in profit.
Berger notes that extended upgrade policies among carriers could potentially have a negative effect on domestic market share, but he also believes that upgrades rely more heavily on product launches nowadays instead of eligibility status. One key factor in getting to that 250 million mark is the assumption that China Mobile
He has dubbed it the "iPhone 5 Tsunami," saying it will buoy the entire mobile sector, and highlights chipmakers Qualcomm
For additional context, 250 million is more iPhones than Apple has sold throughout the entire product's lifetime. Through last quarter, cumulative iPhone unit sales stood at 244.2 million, so we'd be talking about seeing the newest model double lifetime unit sales over its life cycle, which could span several years.
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