It hasn't even been a week, and already over 6 million iPhone and iPod Touch users have downloaded the OS 3.0 update. That's a remarkable number of mobile users in such a short span of time, even when you consider the meteoric sales of the iPhone 3GS. OS 3.0 is a fairly significant update (it contains cut/copy/paste functionality, tethering, and a whole slew of other new features), but it's still surprising how fast it's taken off.

This is real, concrete proof of how proactive Apple customers are when it comes to their mobile devices. Apple announces an update, and droves of loyal adherents flock to download it. This is a good thing from Cupertino's standpoint, and goes a long way to explain why Apple seems to be almost 'recession-proof' right now. Even though Nokia and BlackBerry are both well ahead of Apple in terms of mobile sales, I bet they'd give just about anything to have a fanbase like Apple's.

It'll be interesting to see how downloads of OS 3.0 compare to Snow Leopard sales. Mac sales have been drooping for a while now. Small, personal gadgets and mobile devices are Apple's new bread and butter. That just begs the question of how long Apple will continue to focus on their Mac lines. There will always be a demand for MacBooks and their kin, but the day when a majority of Apple profits come from mobile sales is rapidly approaching.