Apple Dominates Christmas Week With Over Half of New Mobile Device Activations

[firewood]

I wonder how exactly you define "a lot", because I can assure that if the strong demand was there, it would have been signaled by the myriad of market research studies conducted by multi-billion corporations ...

Blackberry's market research once said that business demand was for smartphones with keyboards, since that's all they made before the iPhone 3G. That turned out to be completely correct... NOT.

Sometimes market research is helpful. Apple tends to ignore it sometimes.

 

[thedeejay]

While this may look like a huge success, it's only short-term. The last "revolutionary" thing Apple created was the iPad, but they failed to update it and continuously keep it fresh. Now, more and more people are switching to alternative tablets.

Now that the iPhone has made a non-revolutionary change by creating a bigger screen and adding unremarkable additions to its iOS (Samsung thought of this over four? years ago). Even Google is surpassing Apple's Siri with Cortana. Really? Google? Does anyone remember how bad it was when it first came out?!

Apple has failed and failed to innovate and now with the iWatch is moving backwards to try and find any niche it can in the market. Apple is a failure and I hope they can get it together fast before all those iPhone users realize this.

Here we go again #

Also... Cortana is Microsoft.

 

[Tubamajuba]

Why bring a laptop and a tablet as they are physically both the same items?

Why duplicate hardware?

If a tablet with an "optional" keyboard does the same job, and can do the same job as a laptop, why have two separate pieces of hardware?

It all depends on what you personally want.

I'd rather have the choice between a bigger, powerful laptop and a thin, lightweight tablet than to have one device that makes compromises to meet somewhere in the middle. Others enjoy the convenience of using only one device.

 

[shandyman]

Apple should fix the iOS device shortcomings:

- USB port (storage interchange).
- SD card port (storage interchange).
- Video-out port (for Keynote and PowerPoint presentations).
- Decent file system (see files inside like Mac).
- No sandboxing (open any file with any application).
- No jail. No jailbreaking needed (for obvious reasons).

OR ELSE, JUST MAKE A SMALL AND LIGHT MAC TABLET!

That simple!

Wow, you're really disturbingly obsessed about a Mac tablet... Think I've seen about 20 posts by you in the last month banging that old drum....

If you want one, pester Apple on their feedback section, as they don't read this forum...

 

[mrtravel123]

Have graphs and percentages changed since I was in high school?

51.3% Apple
17.7% Samsung
5.8% Nokia
1.6% Sony
1.4% LG
77.8% TOTAL

In other words, 22.2% is unaccounted for.

Based on how the graph is structured, the top 5 manufacturers are shown, with LG's 1.4% having the fewest activations. In other words, that 22.2% represents manufacturers that are not listed, AND, that none of those other manufacturers exceed LG's 1.4%. If that is true, which I doubt, there are at least 15 other phone manufacturers not mentioned. (22.2 / 1.4 = 15.86)

That is, unless graphs and percentages have changed since I was in high school.

(Not to mention that all of the percentages in the second graph add up to 101% instead of 100%. In my day, this total always needed to be 100%, with the smaller numbers needing to be rounded up / down if necessary.)

???

 

[linuxcooldude]

While this may look like a huge success, it's only short-term. The last "revolutionary" thing Apple created was the iPad, but they failed to update it and continuously keep it fresh. Now, more and more people are switching to alternative tablets.

Now that the iPhone has made a non-revolutionary change by creating a bigger screen and adding unremarkable additions to its iOS (Samsung thought of this over four? years ago). Even Google is surpassing Apple's Siri with Cortana. Really? Google? Does anyone remember how bad it was when it first came out?!

Apple has failed and failed to innovate and now with the iWatch is moving backwards to try and find any niche it can in the market. Apple is a failure and I hope they can get it together fast before all those iPhone users realize this.

If you call 13 years short term success since the first iPod. Since you are mentioning Samsung, who have had its worst profits of late. Its Galaxy S5 and later phones have not been doing at all good. Executives giving back bonuses and closing Samsung stores.

Last time I looked the Apple ipad is still outselling all the cheaper tablets as usual.

A finger print scanner that actually works great is not revolutionary? Even though Samsung came out with their own, very much subpar fingerprint scanner, ironically one month after Apples.

It not just about hardware innovations, but the whole ecosystems around those innovations such as ApplePay, which would not come into being without TouchID.

I think you missed the bus long ago with the constant Apples doomed senario. They are doing better then ever.

 

[Windlasher]

Don't forget about a printer port!

What you refer to as shortcomings are yesterday's approaches to technology. Wireless communications is just that simple!

Yeah - and it better be an Amphenol connector so I can use my dot matrix line printer.

 

[AlecZ]

So, are we happy this is now the official terminology.. ?

iPhone 6 = medium phone
iPhone 6+ = phablet

Doesn't matter, I always refer to the 6+ as "ridiculousness" anyway

Good to see that Apple is selling more iPhones. Hopefully this means more Mac users later.

----------

Apple should fix the iOS device shortcomings:

- USB port (storage interchange).
- SD card port (storage interchange).
- Video-out port (for Keynote and PowerPoint presentations).
- Decent file system (see files inside like Mac).
- No sandboxing (open any file with any application).
- No jail. No jailbreaking needed (for obvious reasons).

OR ELSE, JUST MAKE A SMALL AND LIGHT MAC TABLET!

That simple!

There's already a video output in Lightning. There's already USB I/O in Lightning. The SD card would be cool if it stored everything but the OS, allowing for upgrades, but having separate storage on a phone or tablet is asking for trouble, and Apple wouldn't add one anyway because they want to gouge people for storage upgrades. The filesystem is the same as on OS X, non-case-sensitive HFS+.

No jail? That would take away security and simplicity, what makes iOS good for most people. I only jailbreak because I know what I'm doing, but then again, I still don't REALLY know what I'm installing.

----------

Why bring a laptop and a tablet as they are physically both the same items?

Why duplicate hardware?

If a tablet with an "optional" keyboard does the same job, and can do the same job as a laptop, why have two separate pieces of hardware?

Exactly, just get a laptop.

----------

Apple is a failure and I hope they can get it together fast before all those iPhone users realize this.

What, you think all those millions of people have been buying iPhones for more than double the price of Android phones and have been continually enjoying them for no reason?

 

[mfvisuals]

Yeah - and it better be an Amphenol connector so I can use my dot matrix line printer.

Laughed out loud at that one. Well placed sarcasm, Windlasher.

 

[macduke]

It's certainly possible but as a Plus user I love the size and what it allows me to do that I couldn't easily with a smaller device. I'm someone who doesn't use my MacBook often and can do all my work from my phone. The bigger screen is a godsend for me. Now that I'm used to it I'd be fairly ticked if Apple didn't make another one. I also know others personally who stopped using their iPad minis and use the 6 Plus most of the time.

Yeah I'm one of those people who switched to an Air 2 from a Mini 2 after getting my Plus. But it's just a little too big. There are probably others like me who would like to go back after using it for a while. However I don't think the Plus is going anywhere. If they could reduce the bezel that would certainly help. I just made a thread addressing that here, including some mockups: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1833234/

 

[Michael Scrip]

It all depends on what you personally want.

I'd rather have the choice between a bigger, powerful laptop and a thin, lightweight tablet than to have one device that makes compromises to meet somewhere in the middle. Others enjoy the convenience of using only one device.

That's what I would prefer too.

My ideal combo would be a 14" laptop for doing laptoppy things... and an 8" tablet for reading and light tasks. Both would be thin and light enough to carry on a trip if I needed to... but more importantly they would both be better suited for certain tasks.

I could meet in the middle with screen size... but a single 11" device would have too many compromises. 11" laptops are kinda small and 11" tablets are rather big.

That's how I feel about the Surface Pro 3. At 12" with a 3:2 screen ratio... it's actually a great size for a laptop. But that same screen also makes it an unwieldy tablet. It's like a small lunch tray. Too large for a tablet, in my opinion.

A 12" tablet can never be an 8" tablet. Physics prevents that

 

[redhawk87]

Who opens their Christmas gifts BEFORE Christmas?

My thought is that people who buy an iPhone for a person without a phone at all (their 10 year old?!?) might activate it before wrapping it. That way they can use it right away. But your right, if a person already has a phone, you can't just activate it beforehand and you can't just walk into a store on Christmas day to activate...

 

[Tech198]

That's a lot of apps..

At least you U.S users are having a merry xmas

Their just lucky i have got heaps of apps.

 

[GhostRaider]

What, you think all those millions of people have been buying iPhones for more than double the price of Android phones and have been continually enjoying them for no reason?

To be honest, many people buy it because of the brand. I kind of was like this.

I bought myself a Sony Xperia Z3 for christmas. I got tired of Apple falling behind on tech. My ideal iPhone (or at least Apple can make an iPhone Pro):

1. More than 1GB of RAM. At least 3GB minimum. Apps will become more complex, games will require more RAM for graphics, and they need enough RAM for multitasking. For those that think 1GB is enough, I'll be laughing at your iPhone 6 in a few years.

2. Better Battery life. Apple isn't focusing on this part as much as before since they only care about having a thin phone. More RAM will require a better battery.

3. 4K/5K camera. This is the future for televisions, as well as their own iMac 5K model. They have to move forward from that 8MP camera. Again this requires better battery.

4. Internal Storage. Seriously, Apple has to make 32GB the minimum storage for its iPhone users. This is great for most people. Never have to worry about hitting the limit unless you are recording tons of videos.

5. External Storage Support. I just don't understand Apple. What's so hard to be able to connect an SD Reader/Writer on the lighting port. What is the huge problem that Apple can't do this?

6. Home button. I admit TouchID is great. The problem is, the bezel has to be big for it to fit, which makes the iPhone look tall. Maybe the touch screen will one day incorporate TouchID? Hence no more huge bezel and bigger screen size.

I can continue on but what's the point. Apple never throws everything at once.

BTW, Android isn't as bad as people claim to be. This is my first Android phone I ever bought. It depends on the manufacturer you buy from. I have no idea why people buy phones from Samsung. I always hear horror stories about this brand but not as much from other manufacturers.

The Xperia Z3 has everything I want from that list lol. All the Apps I ever used on iOS are here on Android. The phone has 3GB of RAM. Includes a 20MP camera with 4K support. 5.2 inch display. Great battery life. Oh did I mention support up to 128GB SD?

Android is also secure as long as you get apps from the Google Play store. Obviously if you get an App from outside the store, then that's your problem if you get a virus.

I have nothing against the iPhone. It's a great device but Apple really needs to start getting serious for your money. Or maybe make an iPhone Pro.

 

[TallManNY]

Wow

So at what point do we see the Apple announcement that they are going to return financial results at the high end of their range? Because everything that keeps coming out is that the 6 is selling much better than the 5s but at higher price points and probably higher margins. The Plus is probably more profitable per unit than the 5s, and Apple is probably selling a higher percentage of the larger storage size phones than they did in the past.

We should be looking at some serious cash made in the quarter that is coming to a close. Apple's most profitable quarter ever? Probably. Most profitable quarter by any company ever? Is that even possible? Maybe.

Then just as the financial news for the quarter leaks out, the Apple Watch will go on sales to lines around the block.

 

[AlecZ]

Who opens their Christmas gifts BEFORE Christmas? Seems like this just represents people who activated their phones on Christmas day. If they even extended it a few days later they might get a lot more activations.

We opened ours on the 24th around 10:00PM for some reason. I questioned the decision. No, I didn't get an iPhone or any other tech besides a mouse and Blu Ray movies if those count, but I didn't want any.

 

[Glideslope]

Doesn't matter, I always refer to the 6+ as "ridiculousness" anyway

Good to see that Apple is selling more iPhones. Hopefully this means more Mac users later.

Christmas Week Mac sales will be out soon.

 

[AlecZ]

To be honest, many people buy it because of the brand. I kind of was like this.

To save space, I didn't quote the rest of your post, but I have similar complaints about Apple's hardware. You left out waterproofing, something I wish my iPhone had. Also, I don't like the idea of having SD cards AND internal storage, only one or the other, and I've never had an issue with RAM or the home button. One thing you ignored is that the iPhone has an excellent CPU/GPU chip.

No, I think they buy it for the OS. The OS makes up for hardware deficiencies. It's simple, consistent, secure, and integrated well with the Mac and other devices. That perfectly justifies the popularity of the phone, not the brand name. Android has more market share, and everyone definitely gets exposed to Android phones when they enter an AT&T store or something. It's not like people are ignoring them.

----------

A 12" tablet can never be an 8" tablet. Physics prevents that

I don't know about that. What if they make an 8" tablet with a resizable screen made out of some paper-like touch-sensitive substance with a projector behind it?

 

[rudigern]

This isn't a very good view of the market though. GA has been taking a lot of the analytics away from Flurry, especially with Android apps where devs are more likely to use GA to stay in the one ecosystem.

 

[manu chao]

Have graphs and percentages changed since I was in high school?

51.3% Apple
17.7% Samsung
5.8% Nokia
1.6% Sony
1.4% LG
77.8% TOTAL

In other words, 22.2% is unaccounted for.

Based on how the graph is structured, the top 5 manufacturers are shown, with LG's 1.4% having the fewest activations. In other words, that 22.2% represents manufacturers that are not listed, AND, that none of those other manufacturers exceed LG's 1.4%. If that is true, which I doubt, there are at least 15 other phone manufacturers not mentioned. (22.2 / 1.4 = 15.86)

It is unclear whether those numbers include tablets. It neither says it is only about phone nor does it say it includes tablets. But if it includes them, that puts another set of small manufacturers on the map (lots of PC makers also offer tablets). And with the second graph including tablets, it is probably safe to assume it does count them.

If I had to start a list:
Huawei, ZTE, Xiaomi, Asus, Acer, HP, Dell, Blackberry, Amazon, Archos, Lenovo, Toshiba, Google (with their Nexus devices) ... this makes already 13 additionally manufacturers.

And if you have a look at this article at Asymco, you'll see that the Other category after the first 13 has a marketshare as high as that of Samsung (note this is for whole quarters and only for phones and thus doesn't include the PC companies mentioned above: Asus, Acer, HP, Dell, Toshiba).

That is, unless graphs and percentages have changed since I was in high school.

No, you probably discounted the tablet manufacturers and you vastly underestimated the underbelly of Chinese brands that never make it out of China.

(Not to mention that all of the percentages in the second graph add up to 101% instead of 100%. In my day, this total always needed to be 100%, with the smaller numbers needing to be rounded up / down if necessary.)

If you round each number independently, such discrepancies can easily occur. And rounding independently is the proper way to do this unless you present the data to an audience who doesn't understand/know that such differences can occur. Often such data is accompanied with a footnote saying that due to independent rounding the total might not be 100%. And to protect oneself against those not reading such footnotes one could fudge the numbers but already a very simple example of three elements each having a share of one third, you'd end up with 33.3% or a total of 99.9%. If you wanted to get to 100%, you would need to round up one number to 33.4%.

 

[Amplelink]

I never thought I'd say this, but it does look like tablets are a passing fad. I'm sure they'll still be here in some form over the years just because people like big screens. But, it's amazing to me how quickly the wave has subsided.

 

[kdarling]

So, are we happy this is now the official terminology.. ?

iPhone 6 = medium phone
iPhone 6+ = phablet

It's funny. Many medium phones used to be considered phablets not long ago.

The analytics firm also notes that "phablets" are gaining significant share in the market thanks to Apple's entry with the iPhone 6 Plus.

Phablets already had significant share. Canalys earlier this year had 5"+ devices at 39% of the market.



From what I can tell, Flurry has apparently defined a phablet to be 5.5"+, just so they can make "medium" phones the norm for some reason.



(Above chart uses Flurry numbers adjusted just using phones)

 

[Poisonivy326]

I never thought I'd say this, but it does look like tablets are a passing fad. I'm sure they'll still be here in some form over the years just because people like big screens. But, it's amazing to me how quickly the wave has subsided.

I don't think tablets are a fad, I just think they're not locked into any two year contract and most ppl use them casually (read books, play candy crush, watch YouTube) so they don't need the latest and greatest. I have an iPad mini 1 that can be slow but still works great for my very limited needs. I'll upgrade when this thing is bricked.

On the other hand if you have a crappy phone ... You're constantly reminded of it. You carry your phone with you everywhere. A slow old phone whose battery drains, that crashes, that drops calls ... Those are issues you can't ignore. So ppl tend to choose the latest and greatest for phones whereas for tablets "good enough" is enough.

 

[Cpt. Gilgamesh]

Yeah - and it better be an Amphenol connector so I can use my dot matrix line printer.

It's useless if I can't connect a SCSI drive.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I can't wait until everyone in the world has an iPhone and every company except Apple goes out of business. Then there would be no need for these types of threads.