Apple saw twice as many mobile device activations this holiday as Samsung, data shows

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in iPhone
Apple's iPhone and iPad trounced the competition this holiday, giving the company a 44 percent share of all device activations --?more than twice that of rival Samsung, new research suggests.




Mobile analytics firm Flurry published its latest data on Tuesday, revealing that for every Samsung device that was activated, Apple saw more than two. Samsung came in second place with 21 percent share, far behind Apple but also well ahead of third-place finisher Huawei with just 3 percent.

The data shows that the smartphone and tablet market continues to be a two-horse race between Apple and Samsung, including during the lucrative holiday shopping season.

Flurry's research also shows that jumbo-sized handsets, like Apple's new iPhone 7 Plus, continue to take a larger share of the mobile market. So-called "phablets" accounted for 37 percent of device activations seen by Flurry this holiday, up from a 27 percent share in the 2015 shopping season.




Medium-sized phones between 3.5 and 4.9 inches, like the iPhone 7 and iPhone SE, still remain the most popular. However, their share dipped below 50 percent this year, to 45 percent. Apple does not sell a smartphone with a screen size smaller than 3.5 inches, and devices in that form factor represented just 1 percent of activations.

Flurry's data also suggests that the popularity of tablets, including Apple's iPad, continues to shrink. While full-size and small tablets took up 18 percent of device activations this year, they shrunk to 17 percent this year. That's down from 29 percent of mobile device activations in 2013.

Apple will announce the results of its December 2016 quarter --?the first full frame to include iPhone 7 series sales --?in late January. It's expected that this fall's iPhone sales will be Apple's strongest ever, with predictions skewing as high as 78 million units.
watto_cobrajas99
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    This seems to indicate that Apple is doing something right yet an earlier article bemoans the fact that Siri lost out heavily to Alexa.

    Perhaps the real fact is that for most Apple users something like Siri/Cortana/Alexa/Hey Google is just not that important in the grand scheme of things.

    StrangeDayswatto_cobrar00fus1baconstangmacplusplusbrucemcpalominejas99
  • Reply 2 of 34
    Apple is absolutely trouncing Samsung.

    What this fails to show is that not all of that 21% that Samsung activated represents phones like the Galaxy S7. Samsung still sells a lot of low-mid range Android phones. If you were to convert that to revenues you'd see Apple even further ahead. Likewise if you limited activations to high-end only devices.
    watto_cobrapatchythepiratejbdragoncalibaconstangmacpluspluslostkiwiradarthekatpalominejas99
  • Reply 3 of 34
    Is this just in the United States? and should we trust this data anymore than IDC or Slice Analytics?
    singularity
  • Reply 4 of 34
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    This seems to indicate that Apple is doing something right yet an earlier article bemoans the fact that Siri lost out heavily to Alexa.

    Perhaps the real fact is that for most Apple users something like Siri/Cortana/Alexa/Hey Google is just not that important in the grand scheme of things.
    The other article had a convoluted title. Since the Amazon Echo and Dot have no competitor from Apple we're expected to see Amazon excel in that area (at least until Google Home takes over), but clearly devices that support Siri far outnumber anything Amazon makes that supports Alexa. Hell, even the iPhone alone will trounce everything from Amazon, but on the flip side the number of new phones that support Google Now will trump every device Apple makes that supports Siri.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    This seems to indicate that Apple is doing something right yet an earlier article bemoans the fact that Siri lost out heavily to Alexa.

    Perhaps the real fact is that for most Apple users something like Siri/Cortana/Alexa/Hey Google is just not that important in the grand scheme of things.

    I and my Twitter followers have decided to call out fake news about Apple. There is a lot of fake news!

    When an analyst published a story about Amazon possibly become the first trillion dollar company last week, I showed that to reach $1 trillion Amazon would have an additional Apple's evaluation to close to the $1 trillion mark.

    This week Fortune published an article about an analyst claiming Microsoft could become the first $1 trillion company. I immediately contacted the Fortune author and informed her of last week's article. Now waiting for a Fortune update that questions what analysts are reporting.

    Another analyst (IDC) claimed Alexa, Echo were the leaders. The author was immediately called out as being wrong.

    A lot of people are producing fake news and need to be called out for doing so.
    magman1979rich gregorywatto_cobrapatchythepiratecalibaconstanganantksundarammacpluspluslostkiwiequality72521
  • Reply 6 of 34
    Is this just in the United States? and should we trust this data anymore than IDC or Slice Analytics?

    Flurry has analytics software installed inside of Apps. They aren't 100% accurate but they would be better than IDC (who don't get data directly from devices) or Slice (who monitor email receipts from people who opt in to their tracking and extrapolate that to a larger population). Flurry deals more in ratios between companies than outright claims about something like device sales.
    watto_cobrapatchythepiratecalimacplusplusbb-15pscooter63jas99
  • Reply 7 of 34
    This seems to indicate that Apple is doing something right yet an earlier article bemoans the fact that Siri lost out heavily to Alexa.

    Perhaps the real fact is that for most Apple users something like Siri/Cortana/Alexa/Hey Google is just not that important in the grand scheme of things.

    I and my Twitter followers have decided to call out fake news about Apple. There is a lot of fake news!

    When an analyst published a story about Amazon possibly become the first trillion dollar company last week, I showed that to reach $1 trillion Amazon would have an additional Apple's evaluation to close to the $1 trillion mark.

    This week Fortune published an article about an analyst claiming Microsoft could become the first $1 trillion company. I immediately contacted the Fortune author and informed her of last week's article. Now waiting for a Fortune update that questions what analysts are reporting.

    Another analyst (IDC) claimed Alexa, Echo were the leaders. The author was immediately called out as being wrong.

    A lot of people are producing fake news and need to be called out for doing so.
    While I didn't see the article about Amazon, I did see the one about Microsoft this morning, and I let off a really loud and hearty LOL! And they attributed this to their acquisition of LinkedIn of all things, even more entertaining!

    Fake news is RAMPANT right now, probably just to be fodder for the multitude of trolls online. The scary thing though, is I'm now seeing more and more people in the real world buying this crap blindly, without questioning it in the slightest, even though it wreaks of fraud.

    I commend you for taking this action and calling out the fraud!
    watto_cobrapatchythepiratecalibaconstangmacplusplusbb-15pscooter63frantisekpalomineiphonenick
  • Reply 8 of 34
    skcskc Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    These types of articles really annoy me. Reported as facts with lots of percentages and graphs to reinforce this. However, the original blog article from Flurry gave no indication as to how it arrived at the results. Flurry doesn't have access to Apple's activation server - but it collects lots of data from apps which use their analytics platform and no doubt their software collects information about a users device.

    But in going from app analytics to device activations they've had to make some assumptions - presumably based on new devices that they are seeing for the first time. But maybe people download more apps during the holidays, maybe more developers on iOS use flurry than Android...? 

    Not that I disagree that Apple is probably dominant I do hate lazy reporting that makes no effort to question or validate the data contained within a blog post before reporting it as facts!!!!
    lkrupprogifan_newmobius
  • Reply 9 of 34
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    Activations are one thing, average profit margin per device being activated would be interesting to know too.
    watto_cobracalijas99
  • Reply 10 of 34
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,125member
    skc said:
    These types of articles really annoy me. Reported as facts with lots of percentages and graphs to reinforce this. However, the original blog article from Flurry gave no indication as to how it arrived at the results. Flurry doesn't have access to Apple's activation server - but it collects lots of data from apps which use their analytics platform and no doubt their software collects information about a users device.
    Or do they mean Carrier activations? Blargh
  • Reply 11 of 34
    So this is what 'Doomed' looks like.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobrabaconstangpscooter63brucemcequality72521macxpressjas99
  • Reply 12 of 34
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    skc said:
    These types of articles really annoy me. Reported as facts with lots of percentages and graphs to reinforce this. However, the original blog article from Flurry gave no indication as to how it arrived at the results. Flurry doesn't have access to Apple's activation server - but it collects lots of data from apps which use their analytics platform and no doubt their software collects information about a users device.

    But in going from app analytics to device activations they've had to make some assumptions - presumably based on new devices that they are seeing for the first time. But maybe people download more apps during the holidays, maybe more developers on iOS use flurry than Android...? 

    Not that I disagree that Apple is probably dominant I do hate lazy reporting that makes no effort to question or validate the data contained within a blog post before reporting it as facts!!!!
    You can lie all of this at the feet of the OEMs like Apple and Samsung. Absent real data from the manufacturers the vacuum WILL be filled one way or another. Investors crave information for making investment decisions and there is no shortage of half-baked analytical schemes out there to entice them, for a fee of course. From counting boxes at retail outlets to fancy voodoo analysis of the supply chain someone will always claim to have the answers. On the other hand actual data from the OEMs can be used as business intelligence and weaponized by the competition, one reason Apple has never released Watch sales figures it has been claimed. 
  • Reply 13 of 34
    Is this just in the United States? and should we trust this data anymore than IDC or Slice Analytics?

    Flurry has analytics software installed inside of Apps. They aren't 100% accurate but they would be better than IDC (who don't get data directly from devices) or Slice (who monitor email receipts from people who opt in to their tracking and extrapolate that to a larger population). Flurry deals more in ratios between companies than outright claims about something like device sales.
    So Flurry is spyware?
  • Reply 14 of 34
    Looks like the 7+ is really pulling the idiot "bigger is better" crew over from Android. Did we really want these people in our neighbourhood?
    baconstangsingularity
  • Reply 15 of 34
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Is this just in the United States? and should we trust this data anymore than IDC or Slice Analytics?

    Flurry has analytics software installed inside of Apps. They aren't 100% accurate but they would be better than IDC (who don't get data directly from devices) or Slice (who monitor email receipts from people who opt in to their tracking and extrapolate that to a larger population). Flurry deals more in ratios between companies than outright claims about something like device sales.
    So Flurry is spyware?
    Years ago there was an analytics company that got into trouble for how they were recording and storing data via mobile apps and their users. I think this resulted in Apple eventually disallowing the UDID or hiding the UDID or some other device identifier from apps in favor of one specifically for advertisers to use. Doesn't anyone recall this? I thought because of Flurry, but I'm not certain.
  • Reply 16 of 34
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,311member
    MacPro said:
    Activations are one thing, average profit margin per device being activated would be interesting to know too.
    We already know Apple is making anywhere from 90% to 95% of the smartphone profits and Samsung makes most of the rest.  The the math.  There's very little money 4k be made making Android phones.  They've become a commodity.
    watto_cobrajas99
  • Reply 17 of 34
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    I think it's sad Sammy is that far ahead of the others iPhoneys.

    This seems to indicate that Apple is doing something right yet an earlier article bemoans the fact that Siri lost out heavily to Alexa.

    Perhaps the real fact is that for most Apple users something like Siri/Cortana/Alexa/Hey Google is just not that important in the grand scheme of things.

    Was the article that stupid?

    Fire Phone Vs. iPhone.
    Fire tablet vs. iPad.

    Do we really need the numbers?


    baconstang
  • Reply 18 of 34
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    jbdragon said:
    MacPro said:
    Activations are one thing, average profit margin per device being activated would be interesting to know too.
    We already know Apple is making anywhere from 90% to 95% of the smartphone profits and Samsung makes most of the rest.  The the math.  There's very little money 4k be made making Android phones.  They've become a commodity.
    Yep, I  know that but I wanted to drive the point home that the graphs are completely meaningless without that data.
    jas99
  • Reply 19 of 34
    geekmee said:
    So this is what 'Doomed' looks like.
    Yes.  It's a VERY comfy deathbed apparently.
    douglas baileywatto_cobrajas99
  • Reply 20 of 34
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 2,000member
    Soli said:
    Is this just in the United States? and should we trust this data anymore than IDC or Slice Analytics?

    Flurry has analytics software installed inside of Apps. They aren't 100% accurate but they would be better than IDC (who don't get data directly from devices) or Slice (who monitor email receipts from people who opt in to their tracking and extrapolate that to a larger population). Flurry deals more in ratios between companies than outright claims about something like device sales.
    So Flurry is spyware?
    Years ago there was an analytics company that got into trouble for how they were recording and storing data via mobile apps and their users. I think this resulted in Apple eventually disallowing the UDID or hiding the UDID or some other device identifier from apps in favor of one specifically for advertisers to use. Doesn't anyone recall this? I thought because of Flurry, but I'm not certain.
    There are two IDs available.  One is the ID for vendor and one the ID for advertiser.  Only the second can be used for advertising purposes.  The first can be used to associate a device with whatever you want.  The ID is vendor specific and will vary between  apps.  That is typically how companies do analytics.  
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