You know when you get a new device and you go through the setup; connecting to the internet and logging on with your Apple/Google account etc.? It's pretty easy to measure when you have to connect to the company's servers to do it.
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Apple Tops Holiday Sales With 44% of All New Device Activations
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You know when you get a new device and you go through the setup; connecting to the internet and logging on with your Apple/Google account etc.? It's pretty easy to measure when you have to connect to the company's servers to do it.
They're one of the leading providers of App analytics. Therefore a lot of Apps will utilise them.
Many software development houses will also recommend such analytics tools to clients. So you'll find them in Apps for big name companies (for example retailers that don't have their own in house software dev teams).
And relative percentage is pretty useful when you're talking about big numbers. As would be the case here. It's ultimately an indicator of market share over one of the key periods for these products.
Cursory glance at the chart shows that YoY phablets are eating every other category's lunch. Every other category declined YoY. Other than that, not much sales insight to be gained. @MH01 pointed out, there are no quantifiable numbers and the lack of methodology is... well, suspect. Even more suspect is the fact that the analytics are more about the distribution of apps using the Flurry SDK for tracking. Meaning mobile devices that don't contain apps using that SDK aren't even counted. What if a previously own product, let's say purchased in March, only adds a Flurry tracked app on Dec 22? Is that a new activation? So many questions. So few answers. Absolutely perfect for building fanciful narratives for and against our manufacturers of choice. 
Presumably they share it? I don't see why it should be confidential. They don't have to reveal anything about who is activating devices, just how many. In the case of phones, carriers no doubt know what devices are activated on their network as well.
Unfortunately true. And the new "Pro" laptop is just a fashion device, nothing to do with "Pro". They make so much money, I hope they put more effort in the future into the "Pro" laptops for us developers. I'm ready for Apple to take my money, but just holding out on a real "Pro" laptop.
I remember when Flurry was questioned about their dubious activation numbers before.
In 2014 report for instance, they laid out their methodology in which they estimate the new activation numbers based on "app download numbers" after the "supposed" activation. So Flurry actually has no access to the actual "activation number" -- they are just guessing from app downloads. They are not getting their data from Google, Apple, Verizon, AT&T, or others who actually activate phones (they are considered "trade secrets").
Considering that Apple has much more vibrant app ecosystem than competitors', Flurry's number could be off by 10% or 20% I'm guessing.
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That wasn't necessary. What I said was hardly negative. I was saying that, when discussing the industry as a whole, it'd be nice if we had like two to three big players competing head-to-head against each other.
Do not misrepresent the argument. People who say that usually do not say it because Apple will not be doing well financially or as a company. Lots of other companies do well, regardless whether people lament the quality of their products. This analysis actually reinforces the belief that Apple is becoming too dependent upon the iPhone and gives them more reason to neglect other products. Apple has become a different company under Cook, even though it is a healthy company. People who express the belief that Cook should be replaced usually say it because of this.
At some point Apple Inc. should become Apple Mobile Inc.
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If you took out all revenue apart from iPhone sales, Apple would still make it into the FTSE 100 (if they were a British company).
That's how big iPhone is.
Oh. I forgot. Apple are Doomed. /s
That's how big iPhone is.
Oh. I forgot. Apple are Doomed. /s
Dang it, im part of the statistic, I finally decided to upgrade my iPhone 5 this holiday season to an iPhone 7
Well, it depends on how you look at it. If we assume Flurry's number to be true, Apple lost 5% in market share YoY -- in 2015, Apple had 49% -- while Apple's main competitor Samsung gained 2% in spite of the Note 7 disaster.
Not sure I would describe them as dubious. Perhaps the way they are presented by others are dubious, but anyone with a clue about what Flurry do would know how these numbers are generated. You download an App that uses Flurry for monetisation/analytics, and it isn't previously registered on their systems, they count that as a new activation.
Actually the vibrancy of the App eco system isn't an important factor. Think of picking marbles out of a hat, some are black (flurry), some are white (not flurry). Is there a significant difference in probability that a black marble will be pulled out of one hat against another. All that we're looking at is the likelihood of getting at least one black marble, not how many black marbles are pulled.
It doesn't matter how many marbles are in each hat. What matters is the proportions are similar (apps with flurry/apps without), the likelihood of picking black marbles is similar (popularity of apps) and the number of picks (how many apps people with new devices on each ecosystem are likely to download in the first week).
Flurry are a market leader in Analytics/Monetisation (there are going to be a significant number of black balls in the hats). However, there are going to be differences in market penetration between platforms. Also user base differences may affect the number/type of Apps users download in the first week of owning the device. However, I'd be surprised if you're guess was accurate. I suspect they will be within a few percentage points, as you'll find flurry on some well know brand names Apps.
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Three things you can count on -- death, taxes, and record Apple device sales during any conceivable, imaginable period or holiday.
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It does for Apple since most of their revenue IS profit!!
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It does for Apple since most of their revenue IS profit!!
Clearly a sign that AAPL is going to crash any day now. Or not.
Note: The author of this comment owns shares of Apple stock.
Note: The author of this comment owns shares of Apple stock.
Samsung's what you buy if you're a closet iPhone fan IMO. You're getting yourself the closest thing to an iPhone without having to tell your anti-Apple friends you've got an iPhone.
That's the thing. Fashion devices are what sells. Apple is king at making fashionable electronic devices and then marketing them expertly.
It kind of is surprising that Samsung gained activations year over year. With the whole note fiasco and all.
Reality eventually kicks in, despite all the best efforts of Wall St. pundits, tech blogs and internet forum pro whiners.
The firm is on a tear, whereas a certain fictional narrative paints it in decline.
The firm is on a tear, whereas a certain fictional narrative paints it in decline.