Analysts predict Verizon's 2011 iPhone sales at 9-12 million

The addition of the largest US mobile carrier to iPhone 4's roster was never likely to harm sales of Apple's device in its home territory.

However, analysts speculate that Verizon which will announce tomorrow that it's to begin selling the handset to customers before the end of January could account for almost half of all iPhone sales across the course of the year.

Numbers network

A report in the Wall Street Journal citing various projections by analysts suggests iPhone 4 sales on Verizon will be in the range of 9 to 12 million in 2011.

To put that in some context, AT&T sold 14.5 million iPhones in 2010 according to estimates by Piper Jaffray, meaning Verizon could come close to matching its rival's share in year one.

"There's probably around 17 million subscribers on AT&T that use the iPhone cumulatively - I think over time Verizon could be even bigger than that," Gleacher & Co. analyst Brian Marshall told the paper, putting his own estimate at an optimistic 12 million in 2011.

Changing relationships

Verizon, which already has a subscriber base of more than 93 million in the US, has reportedly made several attempts to carry iPhone over the years.

Indeed, it's this apparent pent up demand for the device from Verizon customers that analysts believe will lead to a year one surge in sales.

The Wall Street Journal does hint at concern from within multiple Android OEMs, however. Being ostracised from iPhone sales enabled Verizon to become a strong partner for the likes of Motorola and HTC relationships that could be weakened following iPhone 4's launch on the network.

[source: The Wall Street Journal]