Flurry: Amazon and Acer dominate Christmas device activations

BY Kelly Hodgkins

Published 27 Dec 2013

flurry-122713-main

Activations of Samsung devices on Christmas day almost doubled when compared to a typical day, but it was Amazon that took home the prize on this gift-giving holiday. Acer also performed strongly, falling in line behind Amazon and ahead of iOS.Mobile analytics firm Flurry published its device activations report for Christmas day, revealing the Amazon and its Kindle devices were the king of the holiday gift giving season again. Acer was in second place, with Apple and Samsung coming in third and fourth, respectively.

For Android, Amazon saw a  24 percent increase in activations over a typical day. This compares to to 2.4 percent for Apple and five percent for Acer. Samsung saw its device activations increase 1.9 percent. Though growth is good, the overall rate of activations is slowing as more and more people become tablet owners.

“With more people having smartphones and tablets, there are fewer new users to give them to, and giving to existing users is more challenging since existing users are already tied into carrier contract renewal cycles, app ecosystems, etc.,” Flurry’s Mary Ellen Gordon wrote.

Apple and Samsung are not as desirable during the holiday due to their higher price tag. While consumers may not bat an eye at dropping $500 on an iPad Air for themselves, they may not do the same for their relatives. Amazon and Acer and known for their low-cost Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 tablets, which are popular among budget conscious shoppers.

flurry-122713-tabs

Speaking of cost and a consumer’s preference for buying low-cost gifts, Flurry also notes that the most popular gifted device over the holidays was a WiFi-only tablet. Traditionally, the WiFi-only models are the least expensive option for customers shopping for a tablet. They are more affordable than a smartphone, which comes with a contract or a high off-contract price. The WiFi model is also much less costly than a cellular-capable tablet that has a higher price tag due to the enclosed cellular radio which allows the device to connect to a carrier’s network.