Erica Ogg explains Apple’s definition of when a product is “sold”. Pretty much it’s products actually sold to customers by Apple through its own stores plus items shipped to its partners such as carriers and retail outlets.

In order to present the clearest possible picture of how demand for Apple’s products stands in relation to its competitors, we will be referring to Apple’s announced numbers as “shipped” from now on.

Indeed, “shipped” is certainly the most accurate term, but it’s important to know that Apple’s “shipped” includes more units that are known to have been sold.