It’s probably not a coincidence that the day Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) introduced its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, some new data has been published showing signs of serious growth in the phablet market. That’s the new home of the iPhone 6 Plus and other phone/tablet combinations with screens of about 5.5-inches.
In April of 2013 research firm Flurry published a survey it had done for mobile devices based on models, active users, and sessions based on screen-size (form factor, in techno-speak). About models like the Galaxy Note with 5.5-inch screens, Flurry said the devices “have attracted interest, but currently command a relatively small share (2%) of the device installed base, and their share of active users, and sessions is also relatively small.”
More than a year after publishing that report, Flurry, which has since been acquired by Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO), reports that its latest survey indicates that phablets comprise 10% of device types, 6% of all active users, and 11% of sessions. Phablet active users and sessions each totaled just 3% in the earlier report.
Looking at Android-based devices only (because until today Apple did not have a phablet), Android phablets accounted for 18% of all Android devices, up from 7% previously. Combined with a drop in share for small screen (think older BlackBerry phones) and medium screen phones (iPhones, for example) the small and full-size tablet share grew from 10% to 12%.
Apple may have picked its spot well, either by design or by accident. In any event, there has been no better time to be moving into the phablet market.
After today’s introductions, Apple’s share price is up just 0.3%, trading at $98.62, after rising by nearly 4% earlier today to more than $103. The post-split 52-week range is $63.89 to $103.74.
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