Apple is planning to build between 40 and 45 million iPhone 3Gs between now and August 2009, according to a BusinessWeek report. Citing a person familiar with the company’s plans, the report says that Apple boosted its production plans — they had expected to build 30 million in 12 months — due to stronger than expected initial sales.
To be able to reach that number, the article suggests, Apple will need to continue its international rollout, avoid component supply constraints, and address performance complaints. Needham & Co.
analyst Charlie Wolf adds that the company will also need to work on cutting down the time it takes to purchase and activate the phone. “The physical process of activating the phone is the bottleneck,” Wolf says.
