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If Google sold 1 million vs 30 million would really matter to you as a consumer? The sales numbers only matter to stockholders, competitors and analysts. Why is

If Google sold 1 million vs 30 million would really matter to you as a consumer? The sales numbers only matter to stockholders, competitors and analysts. Why is there such a demand to know how much N4s were sold during launch to the consumer? Aren't we just perpetuating the "sheep mentality" Android users accuse Apple users of by demanding that we know the sales numbers during launch to assure that we don't have buyers remorse?

fatjokes 14y ago
Of course not. Hacker News isn't just a random consumer electronics board, or Android / iPhone fan page. Many people here are interested in the business of consumer electronics.
rm999 14y ago
Yes, it matters a lot to me as a consumer. One of the reasons I stick with ios is its popularity. Popularity leads to better/more apps, better first party support (more retail Apple stores), better third party support (forums), better third party features (jailbreaking), more accessories, etc.
Steko 14y ago
"as a consumer" It doesn't really matter as a consumer. However, many people are interested in the industry as a whole and there's a lot of armchair analysis put forth that the Nexus 4's sold out status puts it in the same league as the iphone and galaxy s lines, the only phones anyone ever seems to hear hard figures on.
ldng 14y ago
It matters to me. I want to know if I've been "PR stunted". We "oversold" 300.000 nexus 4 just to create demand in time for Christmas is different from we really didn't see that coming in spite of registrations and sold the first batch of 3M phones. Also, it's different the waiting in line at an Appletore. I wanted to buy a N10 but didn't expected to have it in hand the very same day. You're kind of comparing if I may say, apple and oranges. That said, if it's a stunt, it half failed because newspaper talks about the N4 but not about the N10.
vidarh 14y ago
Yes, it matters. The psychological reward of validation of your choices through group behaviours is very real, and very strong. Call it the "sheep mentality" as much as you like, but it is just as much the "human mentality" - popularity is a key indicator for us for the quality of a product, but even more so it also shapes how happy we are with the product after purchase.
- sixothree 14y ago
  It does matter in real ways too. The Palm Pre may have been an awesome device, but tell that to the people using it with no community for support and development.
SwellJoe 14y ago
I use Android phones, want a Nexus 4, and I also hold a significant portion of my investment funds in GOOG. I care how many are sold.

fatjokes 14y ago

Of course not. Hacker News isn't just a random consumer electronics board, or Android / iPhone fan page. Many people here are interested in the business of consumer electronics.

rm999 14y ago

Yes, it matters a lot to me as a consumer. One of the reasons I stick with ios is its popularity. Popularity leads to better/more apps, better first party support (more retail Apple stores), better third party support (forums), better third party features (jailbreaking), more accessories, etc.

Steko 14y ago

"as a consumer" It doesn't really matter as a consumer. However, many people are interested in the industry as a whole and there's a lot of armchair analysis put forth that the Nexus 4's sold out status puts it in the same league as the iphone and galaxy s lines, the only phones anyone ever seems to hear hard figures on.

ldng 14y ago

It matters to me. I want to know if I've been "PR stunted". We "oversold" 300.000 nexus 4 just to create demand in time for Christmas is different from we really didn't see that coming in spite of registrations and sold the first batch of 3M phones. Also, it's different the waiting in line at an Appletore. I wanted to buy a N10 but didn't expected to have it in hand the very same day. You're kind of comparing if I may say, apple and oranges. That said, if it's a stunt, it half failed because newspaper talks about the N4 but not about the N10.

vidarh 14y ago

Yes, it matters. The psychological reward of validation of your choices through group behaviours is very real, and very strong. Call it the "sheep mentality" as much as you like, but it is just as much the "human mentality" - popularity is a key indicator for us for the quality of a product, but even more so it also shapes how happy we are with the product after purchase.

sixothree 14y ago
It does matter in real ways too. The Palm Pre may have been an awesome device, but tell that to the people using it with no community for support and development.

SwellJoe 14y ago

I use Android phones, want a Nexus 4, and I also hold a significant portion of my investment funds in GOOG. I care how many are sold.