AT&T sees ‘tremendous demand’ for iPhone 3GS

Speaking during the company’s Q3 2011 results earnings call, AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega made several interesting comments regarding the iPhone, and more specifically the iPhone 3GS. “[The] third quarter was simply slow because we didn’t have an iPhone launch in the third quarter like we did a year ago, but we think that’s going to dramatically change [in the fourth],” de la Vega said. “…we have another device that I think is going to dramatically change those people that are on smartphones and quick messaging devices, the [iPhone] 3GS, which is free with a 2-year contract. We’ve seen a tremendous, tremendous demand for that device even though it’s a generation old. And actually, we’re getting more new subscribers coming on the 3GS on the average than other devices. So we also have an inventory sold out on that device.” Earlier this week, AT&T reported activations of 2.7 million iPhones during the quarter, along with over one million iPhone 4S activations in the first five days the device was available.