iOS Developers See Christmas Surge in Downloads and Activity

[MacRumors]

It's no surprise that Apple's iOS devices are popular holiday gifts, and as one gauge of the popularity of those devices, many turn to information from App Store developers. Business Insider has done just that, checking in with Facebook and Disney-owned Tapulous to discover that both firms have seen significant spikes in user activity coinciding with the holidays.

Facebook, which offers an application formatted for the iPhone and iPod touch but not iPad, has seen a spike of 1.6 million "active" iOS users over the last three days.

Facebook's iPhone app currently has 57.3 million "monthly active users," meaning the number of people who have used the app in the last month. That's up 1.6 million since the morning of Dec. 24, when we checked and it had 55.7 million monthly active users.

Interestingly, Facebook's Android application has seen no specific Christmas spike, despite solid ongoing growth that has seen it approach 21 million users active over the past month. As speculated by Daring Fireball's John Gruber, the difference between the platforms is likely due to the existence of the iPod touch, which as a contract-free device is a more popular holiday gift than smartphones. Evidence of that difference between the iPod touch and iPhone was seen in last year's holiday season.

On a similar note, Tapulous, the firm behind the popular Tap Tap Revenge games and which was acquired by Disney earlier this year, has seen a tremendous increase in app downloads this holiday season compared to last year.

Tapulous tells us that peak Christmas downloads reached 45,000 per hour, and that holiday download traffic is twice the levels of last year.

Tapulous has been riding the momentum of Tap Tap Revenge 4, which debuted in the App Store just before Christmas as a free application with a number of in app purchasing options featuring additional tracks and avatars.

Article Link: iOS Developers See Christmas Surge in Downloads and Activity

 

[iBryton]

Wow Apple is really making crazy money and they're going to take over the world.

BTW 1st.

 

[Dr McKay]

Bring out a Facebook App for iPad! Im tired of workarounds to get the full experience working on iPad.

 

[nostaws]

I received $40 is itunes gift cards for the holidays. So, no surprise here. I tend to buy apps for my iPhone more than music.

However, personally, I don't own an iPad, and plan on buying ver. 2. I am holding my gift cards till then.

 

[AmpSkillz]

Bring it out for iPad! Im tired of workarounds to get the full experience working on iPad.

Tap Tap Revenge 4?

 

[Dr McKay]

Tap Tap Revenge 4?

Sorry lol I mean the Facebook App. If you go on Facebook on Safari, the chat doesnt work, if you use a 3rd party browser its buggy to use the chat, I hate using the stretched Facebook app, and if im using it in safari, I have having to switch to IM+ to use Facebook Chat.

Make a dedicated Facebook App for iPad please!

 

[Abyssgh0st]

Tap Tap Revenge 4?

He's talking about Facebook.

 

[Small White Car]

I received $40 is itunes gift cards for the holidays. So, no surprise here.

The Facebook app is free. I think it's safe to say that its numbers are more based on new hardware being gifted rather than gift cards.

 

[rcmorgan540]

And ...

Not to mention, a lot of the developers such as EA are heavily discounting apps right now. I bought 10+ games that I would not buy at $10+ , but at .99 ... bring it on.

 

[Mattsasa]

I suppose I should pay for some of my apps.....

 

[HyperX13]

So it's all the Apple users that update their facebook status when in bathroom! That explains it!

 

[WiiDSmoker]

I suppose I should pay for some of my apps.....

Are you stealing .99 apps? Is this what you have come to in life?

 

[shartypants]

Like many other people, I gave my Dad a $50 gift card. I wonder if all the gift cards will reduce the January revenue since I imagine the recognize the money when the gift card is purchased.

 

[south8212]

Funny how they can see the number of downloads even though iTunes connect has been closed since before christmas eve until the 29th. Special access?

 

[ChriswilliamsUk]

Funny how they can see the number of downloads even though iTunes connect has been closed since before christmas eve until the 29th. Special access?

if you read the article, its the number of users using facebook through ios devices, they can track number of people on facebook as opposed to using android the net or anything else, hence why when u post something on facebook it says X has posted this via iphone etc

 

[foiden]

Seems to make sense. Thing is you have to count all devices that are using iOS not just the phones. Having 3 hardware pools with millions of users kind of helps.

 

[crisss1205]

Funny how they can see the number of downloads even though iTunes connect has been closed since before christmas eve until the 29th. Special access?

1) Facebook has their own analytics on how many people are using their application (go to Facebook.com/iPhone and you will see exactly how many people use Facebook for iPhone )

2) there are 3rd party analytics companies like Flurry.

(Facebook)
Users:
57,307,562 monthly active users,
105 friends

 

[duaneu]

Like many other people, I gave my Dad a $50 gift card. I wonder if all the gift cards will reduce the January revenue since I imagine the recognize the money when the gift card is purchased.

Generally, gift card sales are not counted toward holiday sales figures. The sales are recorded when the cards are redeemed.

 

[karsten]

another round of customers is brought into The Fold lol.

 

[south8212]

if you read the article, its the number of users using facebook through ios devices, they can track number of people on facebook as opposed to using android the net or anything else, hence why when u post something on facebook it says X has posted this via iphone etc

1) Facebook has their own analytics on how many people are using their application (go to Facebook.com/iPhone and you will see exactly how many people use Facebook for iPhone )

2) there are 3rd party analytics companies like Flurry.

(Facebook)
Users:
57,307,562 monthly active users,
105 friends

Actually, I was referring to Tapulous talking about their number of downloads. How could they know that?

 

[crisss1205]

Actually, I was referring to Tapulous talking about their number of downloads. How could they know that?

Ok, and I answered you the first time.

2) there are 3rd party analytics companies like Flurry.

http://www.flurry.com/

 

[alent1234]

Actually, I was referring to Tapulous talking about their number of downloads. How could they know that?

by the number of unique devices hitting their servers?

 

[alent1234]

i was going to get an itunes gift card as a gift this year. then the kid got an xbox and i got him 2 xbox games. one from me and one from his parents.

a 10 year old was very happy a few days ago when he ripped off the wrapping paper and saw Assasin's Creed 2 in there

 

[roratus]

Is anyone actually shocked by this?

 

[tuneman07]

I'm wondering when the new mac pro will come out- will it have 24 cores? i want to be able to play world of warcraft and get at least 20 -25 FPS would be ideal