Camera maker hints at 20% jump in iPhone 3GS sales
updated 09:35 am EDT, Tue October 27, 2009
OmniVision says iPhone 3GS demand high
OmniVision may have given signs of a large jump in iPhone 3GS production today through a leak of its production demands. Best known for making the 3.2-megapixel camera inside the Apple handset, the mini-camera designer is warning its other customers that supply will be tight until at least late November as Apple is consuming much of its stock. Other sources for DigiTimes add that iPhone 3GS orders for the holidays may have increased by as much as 17 to 20 percent.
The claims point to Apple reaching an all-time high in smartphone sales for the holidays and potentially ousting Research in Motion's BlackBerry line from its current position in smartphone market share. Last year, Apple shipped just 4.4 million iPhones, a gap of roughly two million phones between the two. However, Apple narrowed the difference considerably in the summer by shipping 7.4 million iPhones compared to RIM's 8.3 million BlackBerries. A 20 percent increase beyond existing numbers for both the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 3G would have Apple overtake the Canadian company and sell nearly 8.9 million devices, coming second only to Nokia in smartphone share.
None of the involved companies have confirmed or denied the claim, though an improved economy is likely to fuel sales better than during the height of the economic collapse last year. Apple is also on the verge of expanding iPhone sales to muliple new carriers in the next few weeks through Bell and Telus in Canada as well as Orange in the UK.
