1 in 10 users would be interested in the iPhone

In a study commissioned by M:Metrics of around 10,000 mobile phone users, around 9% stated that they were interested in purchasing an iPhone. The study was released on Friday. This study is important for Apple, as the users were informed of the iPhone's price points and the fact that the iPhone is exclusive to AT & T. Another interesting statistic was that out of the 9% who indicated that they were willing to purchase the phone, around 2/3rd were on other carriers, not on AT & T. This will be good news for AT & T, since even if a fraction of these intentions come true. they will get a number of conversions, and of people willing to purchase high end cell phones. Such people are also typically more willing to go in for higher cell phone usages and data services, both of which contribute real money to carriers.
The statistic also tells Apple that its Public Relations campaign to show-case the iPhone as the gadget to have seems to be working, given that there seems to be a number of people impressed enough with the device and ready to consider a change.

Poll results show about 9 percent of the 11,064 mobile phone users surveyed were inclined to purchase the highly touted iPhone, set for release June 29. That translates to about 19 million people when projected out, based on the U.S. Census, according to M:Metrics, a research company that tracks mobile phone use.
That's "an impressive figure, when you consider that the installed base of most high-end devices rarely approaches 1 million and respondents were informed of the price point as well as of the AT&T exclusive," M:Metrics senior analyst Mark Donovan said in a statement.
Of those who indicated a strong interest in buying an iPhone, 67 percent were customers of carriers other than AT&T. Often it was Sprint and T-Mobile customers who indicated they were willing to switch, an M:Metrics representative said.

As the iPhone comes closer to release day, only 12 days away from now, one can only expect more stories and articles to start appearing. If initial reviews turn out to be good, then one can expect a number of people to buy the iPhone out of the curiosity value, and the need to own a single device that does media (audio, video) playing and also is a good cellular phone.