Christmas is the biggest day for new smartphone activations and Apple (AAPL) – Get Report once again dominated this year’s activity, according to Flurry, an app analytics firm.
Apple iPhones took the top nine spots in activations, with last year’s iPhone 11 placing first, followed by the iPhone XR, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 8. LG’s budget K30 placed tenth.
“Last year’s iPhone 11 takes the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive year,” Flurry noted. “This year’s most premium device, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, takes third place.” The iPhone Pro Max starts at $1,099, while the iPhone 11 starts at $599.
Further, “Apple’s budget device, the iPhone SE, as well as LG’s K30 saw the largest Christmas Day surge compared to the prior 7-day average, with 34% and 181% increases, respectively,” Flurry said.
Overall, however, the pandemic apparently put a damper on smart-phone sales this Christmas, with activations on Christmas Day dropping 23% from 2019, according to Flurry.
The pandemic had the effect of not only decimating disposable income for millions of Americans, but it kept many phone stores closed for months and delayed shipments of some models.
“The success of past years’ models — notably the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR — may demonstrate that American consumers were more price sensitive this holiday season,” Flurry observed. “Notably absent from this year’s list is the flagship iPhone 12 mini, which brings the features of the iPhone 12, in a smaller device.”
Flurry’s explanation? “With a discount of only $100 compared to the iPhone 12, the mini version has yet to catch consumers’ attention,” Flurry said.
Apple shares recently traded flat at $134.85, and have soared 84% year to date.
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