Verizon, AT&T "Pleased" With Xoom And Atrix Sales

We covered several analyst reports yesterday, saying that the Motorola Xoom and Atrix were sales failures. Not so, say Verizon and AT&T. Verizon issued a statement to Computerworld, stating "We are pleased with customer response to the Xoom." And AT&T issued a statement saying "Our customers are very satisfied with the Atrix, and we are equally as pleased with the results to date." Neither company has released sales figures. So what is the real story?

It depends on what you are comparing it to. If sales of the Xoom are to be compared with the Apple iPad, they are certainly disappointing. The first-gen iPad sold 300,000 in the first weekend, and the iPad 2 sold 1 million. In contrast, only 100,000 Xoom tablets have been sold since the launch on February 24th. This sales number was calculated by a Deutsche Bank analyst, using Android usage patterns compiled by developers, and noting that Honeycomb, which runs only on the Xoom, has a user share of 0.2%, equivalent to around 100,000 units.

The Atrix, according to Pacific Crest analyst James Faucette, has sold "well below forecast." The device, with its laptop dock, has been hurt by the cheaper iPhone 3GS and HTC Inspire.

But then, maybe Verizon and AT&T weren't expecting much? What is that old saying, "If you expect nothing, you will never be disappointed?" That seems to be the best explanation, other than corporate spin, for Verizon and AT&T's statements. But until we have definitive sales numbers, we can't be sure.

[via Computerworld]