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Among the top 10 smartphone models activated on Christmas Day 2020, nine were Apple’s iPhone, with the iPhone 11 holding the crown.
The iPhone 11 was Christmas’s most active device, marking the second year in a row that the model has taken first place, according to data from Flurry Analytics. Activations for the specific model were 5% higher than the seven-day average between December 18 and 24.
Credit: Flurry Analytics
IPhone 12 Pro Max activations were 14% higher than the previous seven-day average. The 6.7-inch model was the leading premium device and Flurry Analytics claims its position illustrates the model’s “strong and lasting demand”.
The iPhone SE, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 8 completed the top nine spots. The only device that does not belong to Apple on the list, the LG K30, reached number 10. Its activations increased by 181% compared to the seven-day average.
According to Flurry Analytics, the success of economic models like the iPhone SE suggests that American consumers have been much more price-conscious during the 2020 holiday season. However, Apple’s cheapest model in the iPhone 12 line, the iPhone 12 mini, did not break the top 10.
The analysis firm notes that Apple’s latest generation devices tend to increase in popularity at launch before being overtaken by cheaper models. Based on this, activation percentages compared to the seven-day average would indicate demand for holiday gifts, rather than popularity of the model.
Nor is it clear when the devices were purchased, just when they were activated. Therefore, Christmas Day activations could be more indicative of shipments in early December than demand closer to the holidays.
Flurry adds that smartphone activations fell 23% year-over-year during the 2020 holidays, compared to the 2019 holiday season.
Credit: Flurry Analytics
Christmas Day is the biggest day to activate smartphones in the United States, giving analytics companies like Flurry the opportunity to analyze consumer demand and preferences. Flurry collects data from its analytics APIs, which are used in more than a million applications.