They say desperate times call for desperate measures, but even though Apple had to do the unthinkable due to the coronavirus pandemic this year, pushing back both the announcement and commercial release of its newest iPhone generation compared to the company's traditional schedule, the 5G-enabled iPhone 12 family is reportedly proving immensely successful.
We're talking about the entire unprecedented four-model family, mind you, which caters to the individual needs and preferences of more types of users than ever before, but obviously, not all variants are equally popular.
That being said, you might be surprised to hear which of the four iPhone 12-series devices has been proclaimed most successful by Flurry's analysts after crunching the numbers from over 1 million apps installed on around 2 billion handsets. While it's clearly far too early to try to anticipate the long-term popularity of Apple's first-ever 5G smartphones, it's also clear that these bad boys have gotten off to a flying start.
Bigger is better
Although a very vocal minority of "iFans" welcomed the iPhone 12 mini with open arms (and a frustrated sigh of relief) after loudly demanding for several years this exact kind of device, it appears that the silent majority still opted for the larger models, in spite of their fittingly high prices.
Yes, it looks like the $1,099 and up iPhone 12 Pro Max was by far the best-selling member of its family during its first week of availability, followed by the $799 and up "standard" iPhone 12 and the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, which also starts at a fairly prohibitive $999 stateside.
The 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini was hands down Apple's least popular late 2020-released device, barely penetrating the overall US iPhone install base and thus making a small contribution to an impressive feat achieved by the company's 5G-capable quartet.
An exceptionally strong launch in a very difficult time
You know how every single major smartphone vendor, Apple included, was negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic during the first nine months of 2020? That doesn't seem to be the case anymore, at least as far as the Cupertino-based tech giant is concerned.
Somehow (read 5G), the company enjoyed its biggest launch of the last three years, as the combined US install base of the iPhone 12 lineup one week in easily exceeded the same numbers yielded by the iPhone 11 series in 2019 and the hybrid combination of the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max in 2018.
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Now, 1.9 percent may not sound like a lot, but even though Flurry's latest report doesn't include an estimate of the total number of iPhones currently in use in the US, something tells us we'd be amazed by it. To put that 1.9 percent share into perspective, we should highlight the second-gen iPhone SE sits at 2.8 percent after six months of availability. And the 4.7-inch handset is widely considered a hit.
The iPhone 12 quartet appears to have surpassed that figure by November 19, with a combined US install base of a little over 3 percent, setting its sights on overtaking the iPhone XS and 11 Pro next.
While the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are still ahead of the 12 Pro Max in the November 13 - 19 chart, it's definitely important to point out that the jumbo-sized 6.7-inch model made its commercial debut a full three weeks after its little brothers. The littlest of them all, by the way, might be struggling due to the steady popularity of the significantly cheaper iPhone SE (2020) and the only slightly higher price point of the much larger and longer-lasting iPhone 12 5G.
Looking at the big picture, we're obviously not surprised to see the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 leading the overall US install base rankings as of November 19, followed by 2018's iPhone XR. It remains to be seen if the ultra-high-end iPhone 12 Pro Max will be able to maintain its early popularity to take that first place one year from now.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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