Apple will sell 40+ million iPhones in 2010 says analyst

Following on from comScore's report that iPhone trails Symbian OS by some degree in the five major European territories a report that also noted it's Android that's the one to watch on the continent - Gleacher & Company analyst Brian Marshall has suggested this is the territory Apple should be focusing on for future growth.

In a note issued to investors, Marshall highlighted that, despite the fact overseas sales represented 60 percent of iPhone's 2009 total, international carriers account for a userbase more than six times larger than AT&T's in the US.

Finding a balance

It's a disparity that continues when it comes to penetration of the total mobile subscriber base.

According to Marshall's statistics, iPhone accounts for 4.1 percent of addressible user base in the US, but just a 1.3 percent share of the overseas market.

As such, it's his belief that international markets represent the real opportunity for future iPhone expansion.

His prediction is that international sales will account for 80 percent of all iPhones sold in calendar 2010, with worldwide numbers hitting 40 million this year and rising to 50 million in 2011.

However to do so would require Apple selling iPhones even faster than it currently is. To date, in the first half of 2010, it's sold 17.5 million iPhones globally. 

[source: Apple Insider]