Could Apple really sell 45 million iPhone handsets in 2009?

That’s what analyst firm Piper Jaffray is estimating. I’d like some of whatever they’re smoking. However, Fortune magazine has been comparing all the analyst forecasts, which go as low as 10 million. The conclusion seems to be that Apple will probably sell around 22 million iPhones next year. Not bad, eh? Bear in mind that everyone is just guessing wildly, of course. Actually, Piper Jaffray has gone further, and claimed that iPhone applications will be a $1bn market in 2009, as those 45 million iPhone owners rush to buy apps on iTunes. Again, this is pure (albeit informed) speculation, and the company admits it’s their most aggressive guess. However, there is a concrete benefit to all these big numbers being bandied about. It’ll certainly mean a lot of developers diving into the iPhone app market, hoping for millions of users who’ll be keen to buy their apps. And while that will certainly result in a lot of rubbish, it also increases the chances of finding some truly innovative stuff too.