iPhone Sales In Canada Down By About 50 Percent In 2008 Q4

January 7, 2009 12:00 p.m. EST

Toronto, Ontario (AHN) - Because of the economic crisis, Canada's iPhone market appears to be cooling off based on an almost 50 percent decline in sale. For the fourth quarter of 2008, about 130,000 iPhones were sold by Rogers Communications, while iPhone sales reached 255,000 units in the third quarter.

The 4Q sales was off the 200,000 forecast to include holiday buying.

The SeaBoard Group analyst Amit Kaminer said that while iPhone subscribers are diehard techies, the economic crisis had them thinking twice before parting with their money to buy Apples's mobile unit which functions as a cellphone, iPod and mobile Web browser.

The weak sales caused Roger Communication's stocks to go down by 6 percent or by $2.19 to $35 a share in the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission said Tuesday it will give the country's cellphone industry a February 2010 deadline to upgrade Canada's 911 system following accounts of deaths while emergency callers sought assistance. CRTC director Paul Godin said the industry must put in place high-tech equipment which is capable of location cellular calls made to 911.

At least 50 percent of 911 calls in Canada originate from cellular phones.