Indeed, in a March survey of 4,040 smartphone subscribers by ChangeWave Research, AT&T (T) subscribers reported the highest percentage of dropped calls by any U.S. carrier–4.5 percent. That’s significantly worse than T-Mobile (2.8 percent) and Sprint (S) (2.5 percent), and three times as bad as the 1.5 percent reported by subscribers of archrival Verizon (click on tables below to enlarge).

“AT&T was clearly the worst in the March survey, tacking on yet another increase over the last ChangeWave research survey,” ChangeWave observed. “Furthermore, a closer look at the trends show an increasing number of dropped calls among AT&T customers surveyed, and a steadily decreasing number of dropped calls for Verizon customers.”

And AT&T suffers for this. Just 23 percent of the AT&T customers ChangeWave surveyed said they are “very satisfied” with the company’s service. Meanwhile, 49 percent of Verizon (VZ) customers described themselves as “very satisfied.” A tough break for AT&T, which has been doing its damndest to improve the public’s perception of its network as one overtaxed by the data demands of Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone.

That said, it’s important to note that ChangeWave’s research does contrast to a Feburary PC World study that ranked AT&T’s 3G network as the top performer in the 13 markets it surveyed.

PREVIOUSLY:

• AT&T Tops 3G Performance Study. No, I’m Not Kidding.
• AT&T: “We’re Closing the Gap” in New York and San Francisco
• Apple COO: Leave AT&T Alone
• If You Think AT&T Has Network Problems Now, Just You Wait
• AT&T 3G Improving–If You Can Get a Signal
• Admitting You Have a Problem Is the First Step, AT&T
• Usage-Based Data Pricing: The Solution to AT&T’s iPhone Problems?
• AT&T Ranked Last in Consumer Reports’ Best Cellphone Service Survey
• Apple Joins AT&T/Verizon Spat With New iPhone Ads
• AT&T Awarded Hug and a Box of Tissues in Verizon Ad Case
• Time to Cut AT&T Some Slack, iPhone Users?
• Thanks, iPhone: 2,000 Percent Increase in Bay Area Data Traffic Since 2008, Says AT&T
• Verizon to AT&T: Do Yourself a Favor and Shut Up
• Frosty’s Winter Litigation Wonderland: AT&T Demands Verizon Pull Holiday iPhone Ads
• Verizon Banishes iPhone to Island of Misfit Toys
• Verizon on AT&T Suit: There’s a Word for That. “Junk
• Verizon to iPhone Users: “Want Five Times More 3G Coverage? There’s a Map for That.”
• iPhone Owners Would Like to Replace Battery, AT&T

Mac sales through the first two months of the March quarter are up 39 percent year-over-year. As Munster observed in a research note this morning, NPD’s data suggest Apple (AAPL) is on track to sell between 2.8 million and 2.9 million Macs in the March quarter, well above Wall Street’s consensus estimate of 2.7 million.

Now, these numbers benefit from an easier year-over-year comp, as I’ve noted before. That said, they’re still quite impressive.

Incidentally, Macs aren’t the only things selling vigorously these days. iPods are as well. NPD’s data show iPod sales up seven percent year-over-year through the first two months of the March quarter. That’s the first sales increase they’ve seen in a year.

Looks like Apple’s headed for a hell of a quarter (click tables below to enlarge).

Plunk down $2.99 and you’ll  get you the January issue of the magazine, featuring a nearly naked Rhianna, for your iPhone or iPod touch.

Aside from the almost nude pop star on the cover, this one mimics GQ’s first digital issue, which it described as an experiment, in every way. Same price, same treatment of ads and content, etc. The publisher says it’s going to start putting out every issue of the magazine on iTunes going forward, though some stuff could get tweaked down the road.

Starting with the March 2010 issue, for instance, you’ll be able to buy new copies of the magazine “in app,” meaning that you won’t have to download a new app from iTunes every time a new issue comes out. GQ may also tweak pricing and/or offer a subscription instead of one-offs.

Condé says it is gearing up to put out another title in the same format, though it won’t say which one (Do you know? Drop me a line, please.) I should note that Hearst’s Esquire rolled out its first iTunes issue/app today as well. No coincidence that both publishers are starting with aspirational dude-centric titles.

This stuff doesn’t seem as sexy as the plans the publishers have for much heralded but little seen tablets that Apple (AAPL) and others are supposed to be cooking up. That’s probably in part because it’s always more fun to think about things that could exist, as opposed to ones that are already extant.

But I think this is as important, in its own way, as the tablet demos we’ve seen from Condé, Time Warner’s (TWX) Time Inc., Bonnier, etc. And as relevant as the “Hulu for Magazines” consortium the publishers have finally announced.

Because Condé’s iPhone app is a pretty good proxy for the stuff the magazine guys want to eventually produce. And if people are buying this one (Condé won’t release numbers yet, but says it will eventually), then that’s a hopeful sign for the more advanced stuff we’re supposed to see one day.

Next up: The company’s earnings call, where investors will be looking for more information about a product line refresh, Steve Jobs’s health and any other info the typically closemouthed company dribbles out. I’ll be covering that live at a separate post at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Relevant unit sales: “Apple sold 2.22 million Macintosh computers during the quarter, representing a three percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 11.01 million iPods during the quarter, representing three percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhone units sold were 3.79 million representing 123 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.”

Here’s what that looks like if you break it down (click to enlarge):

Earlier today, AT&T (T) said it had shipped 1.6 million iPhones this quarter, down a bit from the previous three months.

Here, from Silicon Alley Insider’s Dan Frommer, is what the Street was looking for:

• March quarter revenue: $7.69 billion consensus (6% y/y growth)
• March quarter EPS: $1.09 consensus
• March quarter GM: 32.5% guidance, 33.6% RBC estimate
• March quarter Mac shipments: 2.1 million consensus
• March quarter iPod shipments: 10 million consensus
• March quarter iPhone shipments: 3.3 million consensus (some analysts at 3.7 million)
• June quarter revenue: $8.28 billion consensus (11% y/y growth), guidance could be $7.8-$8.1 billion
• June quarter EPS: $1.12 consensus, guidance could be 92 cents-$1.02
• June quarter GM: 33% consensus, guidance could be 30.5%-31.5%

Press release excerpt:

CUPERTINO, Calif., April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2009 second quarter ended March 28, 2009. The Company posted revenue of $8.16 billion and a net quarterly profit of $1.21 billion, or $1.33 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $7.51 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.05 billion, or $1.16 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 36.4 percent, up from 32.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 46 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

In accordance with the subscription accounting treatment required by GAAP, the Company recognizes revenue and cost of goods sold for iPhone(TM) and Apple TV® over their estimated economic lives. Adjusting GAAP sales and product costs to eliminate the impact of subscription accounting, the corresponding non-GAAP measures* for the quarter are $9.06 billion of “Adjusted Sales” and $1.66 billion of “Adjusted Net Income.”

Apple sold 2.22 million Macintosh® computers during the quarter, representing a three percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 11.01 million iPods during the quarter, representing three percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhone units sold were 3.79 million representing 123 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.

“We are extremely pleased to report the best non-holiday quarter revenue and earnings in our history,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. “Apple’s financial condition remains very robust, with almost $29 billion in cash and marketable securities on our balance sheet. Looking ahead to the third fiscal quarter of 2009, we expect revenue in the range of about $7.7 billion to $7.9 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share in the range of about $.95 to $1.00.”

Apple will provide live streaming of its Q2 2009 financial results conference call utilizing QuickTime®, Apple’s standards-based technology for live and on-demand audio and video streaming. The live webcast will begin at 2:00 p.m. PDT on April 22, 2009 at www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/earningsq209/ and will also be available for replay for approximately two weeks thereafter.

A disheartening prediction. And to make matters worse, Bailey speculates that Apple (AAPL) won’t unveil any new product categories at MacWorld come January, and because of that won’t see the sort of near-term pop it typically experiences after the introduction of a compelling new product. Said Bailey, “[The] nearer-term outlook is less positive, as it now looks unlikely that Apple will launch a new product category at MacWorld in early January, taking away a potential catalyst for the shares and causing Apple to try to generate demand in a tough environment without the benefit of a new offering in the first part of 2009.”

Apple shares closed at $94.75, down 3.58 percent for the day on the news.

A disheartening prediction. And to make matters worse, Bailey speculates that Apple (AAPL) won’t unveil any new product categories at MacWorld come January, and because of that won’t see the sort of near-term pop it typically experiences after the introduction of a compelling new product. Said Bailey, “[The] nearer-term outlook is less positive, as it now looks unlikely that Apple will launch a new product category at MacWorld in early January, taking away a potential catalyst for the shares and causing Apple to try to generate demand in a tough environment without the benefit of a new offering in the first part of 2009.”

Apple shares closed at $94.75, down 3.58 percent for the day on the news.