There've been plenty of critiques about Apple's
Apple wants to sell 10 million iPhones by the end of this year, but many observers have wondered how the Mac maven will do it. Only one carrier in the U.S. sells the gadget, and until this summer, international markets were not coming on line or ramping up as quickly.
Well, there must be a lot of happy Mac and iPhone fans out there now. Retailer Best Buy
While the added distribution will certainly boost iPhone sales, I doubt Apple needed a larger retail footprint to meet its goals. The 3G version was already seeing much better reception in Europe and other countries, and the lower entry price for the low-end version makes it a compelling gift for the upcoming holidays.
But I think Apple blowing past its milestone sales mark -- while it may be important validation for investors -- is already yesterday's news. The bigger story is that the iPhone will now sit right next to the Samsung Instinct, which exclusive service provider Sprint Nextel
This is where direct competition takes hold. The iPhone's no longer an aloof toy for early adopters; it's on the shelf right next to competing devices from Research In Motion
Welcome to the open market, Apple. Let the games begin.
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