19 Million Americans Interested in Buying iPhone

With the iPhone launch still over a week away, mobile market research firm M:Metrics reports that 19 million Americans have shown strong interest in purchasing the device.

“This data confirms that the iPhone has sparked the imaginations of consumers and is not merely a topic of conversation among insiders and technology enthusiasts,” said Mark Donovan, senior vice president and senior analyst, M:Metrics.

Donovan said that the 19 million people that have shown interest is impressive given that the installed base of most high-end devices rarely approaches one million.

People that took the survey were also informed of the iPhone price and the five-year AT&T exclusive. Of the people surveyed, 67 percent of those who were most inclined to purchase an iPhone are subscribers on other carrier networks.

“This is an early indication that AT&T’s strategy to use the device to lure customers from competitors could pay off,” said Donovan.