T-Mobile Pre-Sells 1.5 Million Android Handsets!

[Rocco Augusto]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.neowin.net/news/main/08/10/14/15-million-android-powered-smartphones-reportedly-sold' target='_blank'>http://www.neowin.net/news/main/08/...reportedly-sold</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"When Google, T-Mobile, and HTC unveiled the first smartphone running Android last month, Google's many fans were excited by the idea of a mobile phone tied to the online services they enjoy. Other were less enthusiastic, pointing out that Android is an untried operating system and the T-Mobile G1 is only going to be available from a single, relatively small wireless provider in the United States. Nevertheless, there are enough optimists that 1.5 million G1's have already been pre-ordered, sight unseen. And this number would be higher, except that T-Mobile has sold all the devices it has available to ship by October 22, the launch day."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1224107412.usr8.jpg" /></p><p>This number doesn't surprise me at all. As a T-Mobile customer, pre-ordering this handset is a pretty big deal. It is the only handset in who knows how long where you have been able to get the subsidized price while still in contract! Usually you have to wait 11 months out of a 12 month contract or 21 months out of a 24 month contract before you can get the discounted price off a device. T-Mobile has definitely did their customers a solid here, and at the same point managed to convince up to 1.5 million people to sign up for their data plan, which I'm sure they make a killing on. Heck, even I have been considering pre-ordering a T-Mobile G1 until I can scrub up close to $700 to buy a HTC Touch from <a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8986617&amp;st=htc+touch&amp;lp=1&amp;type=product&amp;cp=1&amp;id=1218005636408" target="_blank">Best Buy</a> or <a href="http://www.expansys-usa.com/p.aspx?i=168017&amp;partner=sthoughts" target="_blank">eXpansys</a>!</p>

[benjimen]

...This number doesn't surprise me at all...

While the number may not surprise you, it's not based on any sort of factual information; and certainly not information out of T-Mobile or HTC.

The 1.5 million number is an estimate posted by someone at the Motley Fool website, and has been quoted as fact all over the net. The actual number is most likely closer between 200,000 and 300,000.

Whatever it is, we'll have a better idea when T-Mobile actually issues a press release with the info, anything else is purely speculation.

[MAK11]

While the number may not surprise you, it's not based on any sort of factual information; and certainly not information out of T-Mobile or HTC.

The 1.5 million number is an estimate posted by someone at the Motley Fool website, and has been quoted as fact all over the net. The actual number is most likely closer between 200,000 and 300,000.

Whatever it is, we'll have a better idea when T-Mobile actually issues a press release with the info, anything else is purely speculation.

Yup here's a link to the story :
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/10/dont_buy_the_g1.html

[benjimen]

Yup here's a link to the story :
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/10/dont_buy_the_g1.html
Yup... the days of fact-checking are a thing of the past...

[Rocco Augusto]

Yup... the days of fact-checking are a thing of the past...

Well if by that you mean actually calling the T-Mobile corporate offices and speaking with one of your old co-workers that are now a part of the purchasing team over there any having them confirm the high number of pre-ordered devices... then yes. Fact checking has obviously gone out the window.

If you can't trust information from T-Mobile corporate employees, about T-Mobile, then who can you trust? :(

[benjimen]

T-Mobile has not yet issued a statement regarding sales figures of the G1; again; anything else is speculation and hearsay.

Well if by that you mean actually calling the T-Mobile corporate offices and speaking with one of your old co-workers that are now a part of the purchasing team over there any having them confirm the high number of pre-ordered devices... then yes. Fact checking has obviously gone out the window.

If you can't trust information from T-Mobile corporate employees, about T-Mobile, then who can you trust? :(

[Rocco Augusto]

T-Mobile has not yet issued a statement regarding sales figures of the G1; again; anything else is speculation and hearsay.

I think you missed the point of that, I was the one that called someone in T-Mobile before posting this story. ;)

[benjimen]

No, I got that -- just clarifying what that meant though. Pretty much the definition of hearsay ;)
I think you missed the point of that, I was the one that called someone in T-Mobile before posting this story. ;)

[Pony99CA]

No, I got that -- just clarifying what that meant though. Pretty much the definition of hearsay ;)
No, Rocco got it first hand from a T-Mobile source. I think he did more fact checking than most people would have, assuming the press is usually right. I think he deserves better than the dismissive "the days of fact-checking are a thing of the past" comment.

And it's not like this site and other fan sites don't publish rumors (device rumors, WM 7 ship dates, etc.). In fact, pretty much anything you read at most fan sites (with the exception of first-hand reviews and personal experiences) is hearsay. If you don't like it, why bother visiting them?

I think the people who visit here are techie fans and enjoy rumors. Publishing only double-checked stories would make this a much more boring place. Remember, the volunteers here aren't professional journalists and shouldn't be held to that standard.

Steve

[benjimen]

No, Rocco got it first hand from a T-Mobile source.

...right, we got that -- nothing new in your statement. That's what he said, a couple times. He hasn't named his source, and the number he's quoting began in a Motley Fool article, then circulated widely on the web. His 'source' must've read the same article, as these numbers didn't come from T-Mobile. Again, the info he provided is based on hearsay (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearsay), not fact (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fact) -- there's really nothing to debate. Thanks for stopping by though...

But everyone is entitled to an opinion, even yours Steve, no matter how wrong :D

[Rocco Augusto]

...right, we got that -- nothing new in your statement. That's what he said, a couple times. He hasn't named his source, and the number he's quoting began in a Motley Fool article, then circulated widely on the web. His 'source' must've read the same article, as these numbers didn't come from T-Mobile. Again, the info he provided is based on hearsay (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearsay), not fact (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fact) -- there's really nothing to debate. Thanks for stopping by though...

But everyone is entitled to an opinion, even yours Steve, no matter how wrong :D

I would have commented on this earlier but I was completely swamped all weekend with work. For starters, I would never, under any circumstances whatsoever, reveal the names of one of my sources inside a giant corporation that is giving me information about confidential sales numbers. That is just unprofessional and a gigantic breach of trust. How do you think T-Mobile would react if they found out Joe the Blabber Mouth was giving bloggers or the press that kind of information? My source wouldn't have had a job the day after this article posted and then I would most likely be out of a friend as well as a source.

Secondly, my source didn't read the motley fool article, me referenced internal memos that was going around his department stating that due to such high demand for the T-Mobile G1 they were pushing the delivery date for pre-order devices back until close to November 15th to accommodate the delay in receiving new devices that were ordered from HTC. Looking at the sales numbers he had in front of him, he estimated between 1 to 1.5 million devices ordered to be ready to go out the door by years end and gave me a thumbs up to confirm the article might have some merrit behind it.

We can think what we want due to the lack of a press release but I trust a thumbs up from someone that works in that company. Also I doubt T-Mobile will say bum about the T-Mobile G1 until the device is out the door. Until those customers actually have those devices in their hands, no one is going to care about imaginary numbers. ;)

[Pony99CA]

...right, we got that -- nothing new in your statement.
Apparently you hadn't gotten it, so I thought repetition might help. it's a proven learning technique, you know.

That's what he said, a couple times. He hasn't named his source, and the number he's quoting began in a Motley Fool article, then circulated widely on the web. His 'source' must've read the same article, as these numbers didn't come from T-Mobile.
Wow, that's a bold assumption. And, wrong, apparently, as Rocco pointed out. Do you always just wildly assume things like that?

Again, the info he provided is based on hearsay (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearsay), not fact (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fact) -- there's really nothing to debate. Thanks for stopping by though...
You're welcome. Now stop quoting out of context and address the rest of the issue. Isn't pretty much everything here except first-hand information hearsay? So why are you singling this article out? If you don't want rumors, maybe you're visiting the wrong site.

And, by the way, just because something is hearsay does not imply that it's not a fact. Your dictionary links don't support that conclusion, so I'm not sure how you reached it.

Steve

[Constant Caffeine]

Does anyone know when or if they plan to release this in Norway? I would like to get one, but I cannot even use Google Talk here in Norway, only Live Messenger. :(