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Motorola’s Droid X has sold out across the country, according to anecdotal evidence collected by a financial analyst about the latest Android 2.1-based smartphone. On July 15, Verizon began selling the Droid X-which features a 4.3-inch screen, 720p video capture and HDMI output for displaying video on big screens-in its outlets and at Best Buy. The price? $199 with a $100 mail-in rebate.
A Verizon spokeswoman declined to tell eWEEK how many Droid X devices have been sold. However, Gleacher & Co. analyst Mark McKechnie polled 20 Verizon Wireless retail stores over the weekend to check Droid X supply and demand and found that the device had been snapped up everywhere.
“We were surprised to hear that almost all of the VZ outlets we called were sold out by Friday or Saturday, with some not finding product within 500 miles,” McKechnie said in a research note issued July 19. Stores told him they had sold anywhere from 40 to 100 units of the device, the battery life of which eWEEKfound to be quite good compared with HTC’s Evo 4G.
Here is a sample of stores and units sold, according to McKechnie’s survey:
- Boston: Sold out of 60 by Saturday.
- Philadelphia: First store sold out by 2 p.m. Thursday, but did not know how many sold. Second store sold out 39 on Thursday.
- St Louis, Mo.: Sold all 30-40 units on Thursday.
- Tampa Bay, Fla.: Sold out. Had 40 on Thursday; gone by 10:30 a.m.
- Charleston, S.C.: Sold out of 40 within 2 hours on Thursday.
- Columbus, Ohio: Had 20 on Thursday, received 40 more; sold all.
- Anaheim, Calif.: Sold out of the initial 70.
- Seattle: Sold out of initial 60-70.
- Sacramento: Sold out of initial 65-70.
- Los Angeles: Sold out of initial 75.
- San Francisco: Sold out of its stock of 40-60.
- Phoenix: Sold out of initial stock of 50 and got a restock of 10 on Saturday.
- Dallas: Sold out of initial 20-30.
- Austin: Had around 75 to start, with another 25 restocked on Saturday. Sold out all.
Moreover, Verizon Wireless salespeople said many customers who were waiting for the HTC Droid Incredible, shipments are delayed until August 9, opted for the Droid X. Still, disappointment weighs heavy on thousands of consumers who didn’t order a Motorola Droid X in time, compounded by unclear tales of when the next shipment will go out.
Verizon Wireless said on July 16 that, while the device has sold out at Verizon and Best Buy retail stores across the country, new shipments are slated for July 23. While half the Verizon agents polled confirmed they would have the device within a week, some Verizon agents told McKechnie customers would get their hands on a device by July 28 only if they pre-ordered it over the weekend.
However, he said few of the outlets he contacted knew when product would be in stock, “but all suggested we purchase online for home delivery by July 27 or July 28 if we ordered today.”
Based on the Verizon store polls about the Droid X, McKechnie concluded:
“We are encouraged by positive early feedback, strong initial demand, and general acceptance of Motorola’s Droid X. Our first weekend checks-along with expectations for a Droid 2 follow-on for the holidays-increase our confidence that Motorola can meet or exceed its 12 million to 14 million unit target for Androids in [complete year 2010] with break-even performance by Q4.”
He estimates Motorola will sell 2.5 million Android phones in the current second quarter, adding that Android is “gaining significant momentum.”
This certainly echoed what Google officials said on the company’s second-quarter earnings call last week: More than 160,000 Android devices are shipping daily.