Apple’s iPads, iPhone XR Lead Christmas Device Activations, Report Shows

Apple products once again proved their popularity after conquering the top five slots on the list of the most device activations during the Christmas holiday. Four iPad models secured the top four slots, while the iPhone XR rounded out the top five.

According to new analytics data presented by Localytics, the budget-friendly 2018 iPad dominated the list after seeing its activations rise by 219 percent. The 11-inch iPad Pro came second with 125 percent, while the iPad mini 4 landed third with 108 percent — an impressive feat for a model that’s already more than three years old.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro also did well when its activations rose by 99 percent, securing its place on the fourth spot. Meanwhile, the iPhone XR, the lone smartphone in the top five, had an 88 percent increase in activations. Localytics noted that the iPhone XR was already expected to do well during the holiday season because it was released in late October just before Black Friday.

What’s interesting about the iPhone XR’s performance is it nearly caught up to Apple’s main flagship offering, the iPhone XS, in terms of market share. With the rise in its activations, the iPhone XR now has 1.83 percent share, which is already close to the 2.33 percent share of the iPhone XS but nowhere near the 3.15 percent of the iPhone XS Max.

The voluminous increase in activations of iPad tablets and the iPhone XR are credited to the various deals that retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target offered during the holiday season. For instance, the budget iPad became more affordable during the holidays thanks to the $100 discount on its 32GB model and the $80 discount on its 128GB variant, as per AppleInsider.

Compared to 2017’s analytics data, the 2018 report is dominated by tablets. Over the 2017 holiday season, the devices with the most activations were the Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

Meanwhile, Apple seems to be doing well despite rumors claiming that it’s suffering sluggish sales. Counterpoint Research disclosed recently that Apple’s iPhones dominated the premium smartphone market in the third quarter of 2018, beating Samsung’s latest Galaxy S and Note devices and the flagship offerings of Chinese smartphone makers like Huawei, Vivo and Oppo.