New data compiled from 3,600 respondents following Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) Worldwide Developers Conference shows “unprecedented pent-up” demand for the 3G iPhone, with 56% of those planning to buying a smartphone in the next 90 days are going with the iPhone, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky. Another 25% indicated that they may buy the high-anticipated device “sometime in the future,” which represents a more than doubling of interest since before the first iPhone was launched.
Interest in the new iPhone exceeds other brands like Research In Motion (RIMM) (23%), Palm (PALM) (3%), HTC (2%), Nokia (NOK) (2%), Samsung (2%), Motorola (MOT)(1%), and others (11%), RBC told clients.
As for the reasons behind this huge interest, respondents said the iPhone’s lower price is the primary factor (67%), 3G features (63%), GPS (47%), enterprise e-mail (35%) and third-party applications (20%).
These result support RBC’s outlook for iPhone shipments, which calls for 5.1 million units in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008 and 6.5 million in the first quarter of 2009. In calendar 2008 and 2009 those numbers are expected to be 14 million and 24 million, respectively.
The analyst rates Apple shares at “outperform” with a $220 price target.
