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iPhone Launch a Supply Chain Triumph |
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With the launch of the new iPhone 3G over the weekend, there have been plenty of stories about consumers waiting in frustratingly long lineups, and slow activations.
But if you can ignore the negative reports for a moment, the iPhone launch appears to be a supply chain triumph for Apple.
Consider the breadth and scope of the launch: 1 million iPhones sold in the first three days in 21 countries, and some 10 million applications downloaded over the weekend. There are bound to be some snags with that scale of a launch, and in some respects, huge lineups only add to the buzz.
Michael Gartenberg, a research director with Jupiter Research summed up the launch this way: “Impressive numbers considering how long it took to sell the first million iPhones, much less the first million iPods. Anyone further doubt that Apple is a serious player in mobility?”
Apple’s supply chain prowess, particularly in launching hot new products, will serve as a model for other companies going forward.
In its annual ranking of the Top 25 Supply Chains for 2008, AMR Research gave Apple its top billing, largely based on the success of its launch of the iPhone 2G in June of 2007. The iPhone 3G’s launch will only strengthen its position going into next year’s ranking.
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