iPhones comprised nearly three out of every four new cell phones activated with 3G and a QWERTY keyboard, according to AT&T’s quarterly statement. The carrier said it activated 3.2 million iPhones during the quarter – up from 2.4 million iPhones last spring.
Overall, AT&T added 4.3 million “integrated devices” during the quarter out of a total of 81.6 million cell phone customers the carrier now claims. Although rival Verizon has yet to announce officially, the new AT&T numbers appear to narrow the gap to a 6.1 million advantage for Verizon. Verizon has recently launched an advertising salvo against the iPhone, promoting its Android 2.0-based ‘Droid’ expected to be introduced in early November.
Apple’s exclusive U.S. carrier also announced nearly 40 percent of those new iPhone customers are also new to AT&T, an increase from 33 percent reported earlier this year.
Although AT&T has complained the iPhone has been a drain on finances, the carrier reported data revenue grew 33.6 percent with wireless revenue jumping 10 percent to $12.4 billion. Additionally, AT&T announced profit margins rose to 38.5 percent from 33.5 percent and average revenue per person grew 3.8 percent.
[Via Gizmodo and Electronista]
