iPhone Dominates New Phone Activations on Christmas Day

iPhones dominated the Christmas Day market for new phone activations, reads a new report.

According to a new report from Flurry Analytics, the iPhone took nine out of the top ten spots for smartphone activations this Christmas. The firm pointed out that despite Apple being able to release its iPhone 12 lineup in time for the holidays, overall smartphone activation was down 23 percent year over year when compared to 2019.

Earlier this month, we learned that Apple has asked suppliers to boost iPhone production for 2021 in response to better-than-expected demand for both the new iPhone 12 lineup as well as older models like the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE.

Flurry Analytics says the iPhone was indeed the best-selling phone this month, with the iPhone 11 taking the crown in terms of the number of Christmas day activations. This is followed by the iPhone XR, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and the iPhone 12, which shows that the iPhone XR is still in high demand two years after its release, mostly thanks to its lower starting price.

“Apple iPhone devices took nine of the top ten spots, with LG’s budget K30 the only other manufacturer to make the list. Last year’s iPhone 11 takes the #1 spot for the second consecutive year, followed by the 2018 iPhone XR. This year’s most premium device, the iPhone 12 Pro Max takes third place,” Flurry says.<

“Typically, Apple’s highest-end devices surge at launch as early adopters rush out to buy the most advanced Apple smartphone available. As the masses slowly replace their old devices, the base model—this year the iPhone 12—typically gains in popularity. But as we reported in an earlier post, the iPhone 12 Pro Max had the strongest launch week out of any Apple iPhone device in the past three years, indicating a strong and long-lasting demand for their most premium smartphone.”

And here’s something Apple should keep in mind: the number of budget devices activated on Christmas has skyrocketed this year, and Flurry says this is a sign people were more concerned about how much money they spend on phones this year.

Although overall activations were below the number seen in 2019, it’s nonetheless a reminder of just how dominant Apple is when it comes to smartphones.