Mobile & Wireless Slideshow: iPhone Sales 'Dip': Nine Factors to Consider

NEWS ANALYSIS: Apple's iPhone fell below Wall Street's expectations during the company's fiscal Q3, even though the company sold 26 million units, representing a 28 percent increase over the same period in 2011. In fact, the so-called "slowdown" in iPhone sales - coupled with projections of a further slowdown next quarter -- marred an otherwise strong Apple earnings report. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer acknowledged on a conference call to analysts July 24 that a potential sales slowdown of iPhones may be connected to continuing rumors of an iPhone 5 to be introduced later this year, and that potential buyers may be holding off until that model becomes available. Here, we break down the brouhaha about iPhone sales in hopes of offering some perspective on the matter.