iOS Remains More Popular Than Android for Holiday Shopping in the U.S.

iphone_5c_store_heroThe majority of online orders from mobile devices on Christmas day were placed by iOS users rather than Android users, according to a new report from IBM. 23 percent of total online sales on Christmas in the United States were made from iOS devices, while just 4.6 percent were made from Android devices. Overall online traffic from iOS devices was at 32.6 percent, compared to 14.8 percent for Android.

As a percentage of total online sales, iOS was more than five times higher than Android, driving 23 percent vs. 4.6 percent for Android. On average, iOS users spent $93.94 per order, nearly twice that of Android users, who spent $48.10 per order. iOS also led as a component of overall traffic with 32.6 percent vs. 14.8 percent for Android.

iOS users also spent nearly twice as much on their online orders, with the average order coming in at $93.94 compared to $48.10 per order from Android devices. When comparing tablets to smartphones, consumers made more purchases via tablets (19.4 percent vs. 9.3 percent) on smartphones and paid slightly more than smartphone users.

Overall online sales were up 16.5 percent in 2013, with mobile sales surging up to nearly 29 percent of all online traffic for a year-over-year gain of 40 percent.

IBM's data was gathered using its IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark, which analyzes data from approximately 800 retail sites in the United States. The company saw similar sales numbers during Black Friday, where iOS was responsible for 18.1 percent of sales with an average order amount of $127.92, compared to 3.5 percent and $105.20 for Android.

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 ...
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....
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,...
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....
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
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 ...
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 air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...

Top Rated Comments

RMo Avatar
156 months ago
He can be excused for not getting this from a first reading, it was confusingly written. I had to go to the source article to be sure about what was being said here.
Not really. The headline might give you that impression, but the first sentence of the article is clear that it's about the amount of shopping done from devices. People seem to be commenting just based on their impression of the headline without even reading the summary, much less the original article (kind of like Slashdot for those of you who know, except we're apparently not even reading the summary now :)).
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chatter Avatar
156 months ago
Apple is so dead....

On a serious note. How many were just people replacing an iPhone vs switching... thats the more important thing here.

Its numbers reported for users shopping ON their devices versus shopping FOR devices.
Apologies if you are asking a totally different question.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
156 months ago
Not sure if I buy these statistics, I'm seeing more and more people with Android devices where I am. It seems like for every 5 or 7 annoying giant android phone carrying people, I'll see 1 or 2 folks with iPhones.

They're from IBM. Probably more reliable than individual antidotes.

----------

Nothing new here, however the US is no longer the biggest market, so in the larger picture for Apple, not a very meaningful metric.

But it probably is the biggest market where people spend money.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghettochris Avatar
156 months ago
Not sure if I buy these statistics, I'm seeing more and more people with Android devices where I am. It seems like for every 5 or 7 annoying giant android phone carrying people, I'll see 1 or 2 folks with iPhones.

I was stuck in an airport for a couple days recently, and I found the opposite true. iPhones and ipads everywhere, hardly any android.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aristotle Avatar
156 months ago
So this would support the notion that people who buy iPhones tend to have more disposable income. I suppose that makes sense given the number of free low end android phones that people with less disposable income buys. I would wager those users who buy the Galaxy S4 or other high end android phones spend just about as much as iPhone users on other purchases.
So what exactly do people do on their android phones if they don't shop, don't buy games and apps and they don't surf the web?

Are the majority of Android phones lower end models being used mainly as dumb phone replacements to mostly talk and text and maybe do some instant messaging?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Piggie Avatar
156 months ago
Wow the snobbery in this thread is simply amazing.

And it's one of the very worst aspects about Apple fans.

I am better than you as I own an Apple product.

Look at me, I bet you wish you could afford Apple like I can, you poor person.

This thread wreaks of this, it's horrible.

It's the very very very worst part about some Apple fans, actually thinking they are better than others simply because they feel their phone is nicer :(
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)