iPhone 3GS Production Pegged at Two Million Units This Quarter, CDMA iPhone 4 at One Million

While much has been made of Apple's strong iPhone sales this quarter with estimates now pushing toward 30 million units, what hasn't been known is the mix of iPhone models contributing to that number. The significant majority of sales are almost certainly from the current iPhone 4S, but the company continues to offer lower-end 8 GB iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS models in some markets. Higher-capacity iPhone 4 models are also available in countries where the iPhone 4S has yet to launch.

Ahead of the iPhone 4S debut, the iPhone 3GS was continuing to sell well under the shadow of the iPhone 4 in the United States, suggesting that there is indeed a significant market for these lower-end devices.

iphone 3gs 4
A new report from Digitimes now puts some production numbers on these low-end models for the current quarter, claiming that Apple's manufacturing partners are pushing out two million units of the iPhone 3GS this quarter. In addition, Apple is said to be producing 800,000-1 million CDMA iPhone 4 units.

Apple has been increasing its penetration into entry-level smartphone markets and the OEM production of iPhone 3GS has continued steadily with the volume likely to reach two million units in the fourth quarter of 2011 and 1.4-1.6 million units in the first quarter of 2012, according to industry sources.

...

Meanwhile, the production of the CDMA version of iPhone 4 is expected to top 800,000 to one million units in the fourth quarter of 2011 and 500,000-600,000 units in the following quarter, estimated the sources.

Unaddressed is the GSM iPhone 4, which is undoubtedly being produced at an even higher rate given the worldwide market for the device. And despite Apple's rapid international rollout of the iPhone 4S, a number of countries are still yet to see the device and are thus still selling the GSM iPhone 4 as the most current model.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...

Top Rated Comments

Tiger8 Avatar
165 months ago
perfect first smartphone for the kids if you have an iphone. if they lose it or break it then it's not a big loss. and you get free texting

Call me old fashioned, but kids should not have a phone, let alone a smartphone, until they are in their teens... maybe.

iPhone? no big loss? If you break it or lose it the 3Gs is $375 retail, the 4 is $550.

You are better off putting that money in a college fund for the kid.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Taz Mangus Avatar
165 months ago
perfect first smartphone for the kids if you have an iphone. if they lose it or break it then it's not a big loss. and you get free texting

^^^ This ^^^ The best part, that two year old iPhone gets the latest iOS 5.

EDIT: Actually the 3GS is 2.5 years old.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KnightWRX Avatar
165 months ago
I'm still amazed that with the 3GS being "free" w/ contract, the carriers are still trying to sell crappy feature phones for $29 or more w/ contract.

Well considering carriers often require "Smartphones" to have "Smartphone plans" with the contract (50$+ per month to get the subsidized pricing) and the 29$ or more "feature phone" can get buy on a 20$ a month contract...

Yeah...

Sometimes it pays to think before posting. ;)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chimes Avatar
165 months ago
Great phone

The 3GS is actually still a great phone. It does exactly what it did when I bought it 2+ years ago, and then some.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iSayuSay Avatar
165 months ago

To the 'kids don't need smartphones' crowd, get back into 2011. This isn't the early days of cell phones where these are $700 devices treated like Faberge eggs. Smart phones are becoming as ubiquitous as regular phones and kids use technology in their every day lives. My daughter's school has an 'open technology' policy where kids are allowed to bring iPods, iPod Touches, laptops, iPads or any other technology to school. They can use it pull up information in class when needed or listen to music when doing work in class.

iPhone is actually a $700 phones if you buy it unlocked, or ~$2000 if you pay it under contract and yes many people treat it like Faberge eggs ;)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleScruff1 Avatar
165 months ago
The 3GS is actually still a great phone. It does exactly what it did when I bought it 2+ years ago, and then some.

My Motorola 815 still does exactly what it did 6 years ago too.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)