Motorola DROID on target for 1 million units sold by end of year

The Motorola DROID has been selling like hotcakes, at least hotcakes with Android 2.0. According to RBC Capital Analyst Mark Sue, sales figures are showing a current total of 700,000 to 800,000 handsets sold which should allow for at least 1 million DROIDS crossing the register by the end of the year. A $100 million ad campaign helps, but so does the fact that the DROID is Verizon's first real iPhone challenger."Verizon's big marketing push for the DROID is strengthening as we close in on the holidays," the RBC analyst says. Comments by DROID users noted by Barron's show praise for the resolution of the screen, which at 480 X 854 pixels, is currently the sharpest and clearest display out in the market, and for the fast processor. Complaints were made about the weight of the device, which is built like a tank, as some have described the model. The analyst also notes that sales of the Motorola CLIQ with the social networking MOTOBLUR UI and its overseas version, the DEXT, have been "okay", but "not great".

Oppenheimer analyst Ittai Kidron is a little more reserved. He estimates that sales of the world's only Android 2.0 handset are running slightly behind target and he sees a total of 750,000 units sold for the quarter. He expects only 150,000-200,000 CLIQ handsets to be sold and says that T-Mobile has backed away from promoting the device. He also blames the battery life as a dealbreaker for purchase of the CLIQ and says that Motorola is preparing a upgrade to improve that. T-Mobile defends its promotion of the model as a spokesman for the carrier says that, "The Motorola CLIQ is very popular among our highly connected customers and is the only device with Motorola's innovative MOTORBLUR solution. T-Mobile is excited about the Motorola CLIQ for the holidays and continues to showcase it prominently." As for the manufacturer, Kidron says some models will be hits and some not, but that the Schaumburg based company is heading toward showing a profit in 2010.

Returning to the DROID, Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney says, "We are pleased with sales over the holiday weekend. This phone clearly fits the needs of a number of customers  who are excited about its availability on the Verizon Wireless network." Are you a DROID owner? Still happy to be one? Let us know how you feel about Big Red's honest-to-goodness, real iPhone challenger.

Motorola DROID Specifications | Review
Motorola CLIQ | Review

source: Barron's, CNET