localytics iphone 4 share jul11
Mobile app analytics firm Localytics yesterday published a widely-cited report measuring the ratio of AT&T to Verizon iPhone 4s in the United States, finding that a surge over the past two months has increased Verizon's share to over 32% just four and a half months after the device launched on the carrier.

Summer has seen significant growth in Verizon's market share. After spending most of the spring at roughly the same share, Verizon has seen consecutive monthly jumps, grabbing 7% of the market for itself in May and June.

Why the recent uptick in Verizon adoption? One reason may be Verizon's unlimited data plan, which they are scheduled to do away with on July 7th. AT&T officially discontinued its unlimited data plan in mid-2010, although existing customers were allowed to keep their plan as long as they remained AT&T customers.

We do, however, have significant reservations about Localytics' data and how closely it correlates to actual device sales, based on what is known about iPhone activation numbers. Looking back at earnings releases from the two carriers, Verizon had announced 2.2 million iPhone activations as of the end of the March quarter, at which point in time Localytics data put Verizon's share of the U.S. market at 22.4%. In order for Verizon to have held that market share, AT&T would have had to have activated on the order of 7.6 million iPhone 4s by that time.

AT&T's iPhone 4 sales numbers are harder to gather due to a mix of iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS sales, but total iPhone activations for the carrier appear to be in the range of 15 million since the launch of the iPhone 4 last June. It is true that AT&T's iPhone 4 sales are clearly somewhat lower than that given the inclusion of some new iPhone 3GS sales in that number and the fact that AT&T also counts used units that are resold or handed down and reactivated by new users, but we find it hard to believe that new iPhone 4 sales were only responsible for half of AT&T's total iPhone activations over the period.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

AppleDavie Avatar
183 months ago
Loving my Verizon iPhone!

:cool:who cares if this report is bogus or not. i just got my verizon iphone in may and i am in phone heaven. i love the iphone cause its so easy to operate and has the best apps. Its the best phone i've ever had. i had an ipod touch 4g which made me want the iphone so i was so glad to get it. Plus another reason i got it was i had heard rumors that Verizon would be getting rid of their unlimited data plans this summer and sure enough they are now gone. My friend has the HTC thunderbolt and she has had SO many problems with it. I'm so glad i got the iPhone. ;)I know an even better iPhone is coming out soon but im so satisfied with this one. Tech savy or not, the iphone is the best. That's all that matters!:cool:

by the way I do have wifi and know a little bit about computers. :)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SandynJosh Avatar
183 months ago
Left out of everyone's comments and left out of the story is that for the last several months or so the early purchasers of Verizon Android and BB phones hit their contract end. Maybe not new Verizon customers, but iPhone buyers who are tossing their old sorta-smart phones. I know I'm watching the calendar to drop-kick mine into the parking lot.

Also, we are about two months away from the next iPhone... I'm hoping it will be another "giant leap for mankind." Meanwhile Microsoft's phone OS has surpassed the iPhone iOS capability of late 2007. Ballmer needs to get to work on his resumé.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
supermurph Avatar
183 months ago
Low Tech Users

It's even less scientific than the numbers cited, but every person I know that got a Verizon iPhone is what I would consider a low tech person. For example, of the 4 people I know with a Verizon iPhone, 3 of them do not have WiFi in their house, and when one of them asked me to help them decide between an iPhone and Droid before buying, the conversation included the phrase, "What is iTunes?" (from a person below age 30). On the other hand, the 10 or so people I know with AT&T iPhones range from mid to advanced tech savvy, and none of them have switched carriers since the Verizon iPhone went on sale.

I offer this as thin, anecdotal evidence that Verizon has a greater proportion of late adopters that are not tech savvy. So, they are going to use more cell data instead of WiFi and likely not be selective of where and how they make large downloads. This would be a reason why a web analytics firm using traffic of certain web sites may get misleading statistics.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goobot Avatar
183 months ago
I doubt Verizon got 20% of the total iphone 4 market for the first week of sales, after the poor show ups in stores, online alone with that % seems incorrect.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...