Verizon Activates 6.2 Million iPhones in 4Q 2012, Nearly Two-Thirds of Total Smartphone Activations

Verizon today became the first major U.S. iPhone carrier to announce earnings for the fourth quarter of 2012. Overall, the carrier activated 9.8 million smartphones during the quarter, and GigaOM notes that Verizon revealed on its conference call that 6.2 million, or nearly two-thirds, of those were iPhones.

141852 Verizon logo 300
Perhaps most interestingly, only half of those iPhones activated during the quarter were of the iPhone 5 variety, indicating that Verizon continues to enjoy strong sales of the lower-cost iPhone 4S and iPhone 4.

It sold 7.3 million LTE devices the last three months of 2012, and it activated 9.8 million smartphones in total. It activated 6.2 million iPhones, about half of which were the LTE-enabled iPhone 5.

Approximately 23% of devices on Verizon's base are now LTE-compatible, with those devices representing almost half of the carrier's data traffic. And AllThingsD notes that Verizon has halted any further additions to its 3G networks in favor of continuing to expand its already substantial 4G LTE networks.

Last quarter, Verizon reported total iPhone activations of 3.1 million, representing 46% of the carrier's smartphone sales.

Apple will be reporting its own earnings tomorrow after the close of trading, at approximately 4:30 PM Eastern / 1:30 PM Pacific. MacRumors will have full coverage of Apple's earnings release and associated conference call taking place at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...

Top Rated Comments

MacFan1957 Avatar
168 months ago
How long till the first FanDroid arrives to tell us exactly how these numbers must be wrong! I guess maybe Verizon can't count or maybe the Android phones how up as Linux, has to be that!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nungster Avatar
168 months ago
AAPL back to 700!!!!! :D
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newagemac Avatar
168 months ago
I haven't seen any official numbers but take a look in the forums here, there are a TON of ex iPhone users with Android devices now. I'm one of them, and I know PLENTY in person that have done the same. It's not a knock on iOS(though it needs some serious revision) but it's further proof that the times are changing, and that people want something different, and are willing to give Android a try.

You're giving anecdotal evidence and I'm referring to real statistics. Tech forums are not very indicative of reality. And macrumors in particular is flooded with fandroids and Apple haters who would never consider the iPhone so I would take most "I switched from iPhone to Android and couldn't be happier!" posts with a grain of salt. Not saying that's you though. :)

The proof is in the pudding. Verizon was a huge Android seller. Now nearly two thirds of their activations are iPhones. The picture can't get much more clearer than that.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thehustleman Avatar
168 months ago
Interesting mix. I don't think Verizon has ever sold that high a percentage of iPhones in a quarter. Perhaps the strong sales of the 4S partly contributed to the supposed "cuts" in production of the iPhone 5. It is a bit telling that people on Verizon would still be willing to get the 4S. LTE vs. 3G is a MUCH bigger deal on CDMA. Maybe Verizon did a good job of "downselling" the 4S while the 5 was out of stock.
It isn't the 4s, it's the 4 being FREE with a contract.

I activate a lot of them because people want the iphone name and if they get it free they are happy
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Small White Car Avatar
168 months ago
For comparison:

1 year ago Verizon activated 4.3 million iPhones in the 4th quarter (https://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/24/iphone-represents-55-of-verizons-4q-2011-smartphone-sales/).

This year was 6.2 million.

The low ratio of iPhone 5s may not mean the 5 is selling poorly, only that the 'free' iPhone 4 is selling well. Remember, Verizon never had a 'free' iPhone 3GS.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BornAgainApple Avatar
168 months ago
Good to see the iPhone is still 'relevant', much to the dismay of the Apple Haters. Troubling though that more iPhone 5's were not activated. I guess the average consumer has voted with their wallet, not surprising in these economic times.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)