Verizon Activated 3.1 Million iPhones In Q3 2012, But Only 651K Were iPhone 5s

Verizon posted strong Q3 financial results earlier this morning, and pegged much of its success on its robust wireless business. Smartphones (as always) played a key role in driving Verizon’s wireless performance, but how exactly did the carrier’s smartphone sales break down this past quarter?

In total, Verizon Wireless saw 6.8 million smartphones sold and activated in Q3, with CFO Fran Shammo noting that 3.4 million of them were running Google’s Android operating system. Meanwhile, the carrier activated 3.1 million Apple iPhones in Q3 (up from about 2.7 million iPhones in the previous quarter), and Shammo not-so-slyly noted that 21% percent of those devices ran on the carrier’s 4G LTE network.

Well, I wonder what he could be talking about? Since the only device that fits the description is the iPhone 5, that breaks down to about 651,000 iPhone 5s sold and activated since the device’s launch in September. That may seem a bit on the low side considering the near-religious fervor that iPhone launches tend to inspire, but it’s worth remembering that Apple’s newest smartphone hit the streets just prior to the fiscal quarter’s close. Of course, supply troubles played a role here as well — Verizon noted during its earnings conference call that supply constraints kept Verizon from putting out as many iPhone 5s as its customers demanded. Even now certain iPhone 5 models — the 16GB variants for the most part — are still in short supply, with Verizon’s website forecasting a ship date of November 9 for new activations.