Sprint Goofs on HTC Evo 4G Debut Sales Figure Tweet

Following strong HTC Evo 4G sales, Sprint’s original comparison to Palm Pre sales were overly generous. In a revised statement, Sprint said Evo 4G launch day sales were nearly twice the Pre’s launch day sales. Which is to say, in the ballpark of 50,000 units.

Sprint is offering up some new math following its announcement that the launch of the HTC Evo 4G marked the largest quantity of a single phone that it has ever sold in one day.

The Evo 4G was a hit indeed, but Sprint updated its June 4 press statement to scratch the description that the Evo 4G’s first-day sales figures were “three times the number of Samsung Instinct and Palm Pre devices sold over their first three days on the market combined.” That, frankly, wasn’t the clearest gauge — was that each device’s three days on the market combined, or the weekend sales for each, combined?

For the record, Sprint reported selling 50,000 Palm Pre handsets over the device’s debut weekend in June 2009 — which was capped that Monday with Apple’s introduction of the iPhone 3G S.

Months after its initial introduction, Sprint launched the Evo 4G June 4, calling it the nation’s first 3G/4G phone. Through partner Clearwire, the Evo can run at 4G speeds, where coverage is available, and even create a 4G hotspot for up to eight other WiFi-capable devices. It boasts one of the market’s largest touch displays, at 4.3 inches, and runs Google’s Android operating system as well as HTC’s Sense user interface.

Other notable features include two cameras — a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling and an 8-megapixel for killer pics and video. Its one shortfall is said to be its battery life — or lack thereof.

Still, both the HTC brand and the Android OS are riding high, and with the Evo 4G, Sprint appears to have the hit on its hands that it’s been hoping for.

“HTC Evo 4G has more than lived up to our expectations that it would be one of the most anticipated technology products of the year,” Kevin Packingham, a Sprint vice president, said in the updated June 7 statement. “We are working closely with our partners at HTC to increase the supply and get Evo 4G into the hands of everyone who wants one as quickly as possible.”

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