Apple just launched its most expensive smartphones ever in the US, with the iPhone XS base model starting at $999 and the iPhone XS Max topping out at $1,449. To put this into context, some iPhones now cost more than Apple MacBook Pros.
For an industry that’s seen staggering growth and disruption since the launch of the first smartphone, 2017 was the year that mobile app innovation and growth was disrupted. Stalwart industry players held and gained market position, while years-old disruptors struggled to find their footing. Compared to 2016, Flurry measured overall session app activity growth of just 6%. While growth may have stagnated, users continue to diversify their behavior while using mobile applications.
With the dates of Christmas and Chanukah synced this year, smartphones were once again predominate on everyone’s wish lists. As we do every year, Flurry took a look at the most gifted smartphones and tablets around the globe this holiday season, examining phone and app activation throughout the week leading up to Christmas day and the start of Chanukah.
For every Samsung Device Activated, Apple Saw Two
The press is buzzing that Apple may unveil a phablet-sized iPhone 6 on September 9th. Six years ago, who would have guessed that an extra inch of screen space could cause so much commotion?
Last Spring we reported that, as of February 2013, the phablet was an insignificant player in the mobile ecosystem dominated by phones and tablets. In fact, we said that this new kid on the block was not having a meaningful impact among consumers, developers or manufacturers. Today we are taking a second look to see how far phablets have come since our original report.
All advertisers seek to deliver the right message to the right person at the right moment. If content is king, then context is queen – particularly when it comes to mobile devices that are typically close at hand if not in our hands.
The rate of iOS and Android device adoption has surpassed that of any consumer technology in history. Compared to recent technologies, smart device adoption is being adopted 10X faster than that of the 80s PC revolution, 2X faster than that of 90s Internet Boom and 3X faster than that of recent social network adoption. Five years into the smart device growth curve, expansion of this new technology is rapidly expanding beyond early adopter markets such as such as North America and Western Europe, creating a true worldwide addressable market.