Apple reigned supreme during the holiday months of November and December, with 51.3 percent of all device activations during Christmas linked to Apple and free iOS mobile applications breaking app download records, according to reports from Fiksu and Flurry.

Fiksu discovered that new iPhone ownership and more app activity over Thanksgiving led to 8.1 million app downloads in November, up 42 percent from November 2013. Meanwhile, Flurry tracked two-and-a-half times the number of app installs on Christmas Day compared with any other day in first weeks of December, proving that the market for mobile apps and iOS devices is as lucrative as ever.

?Apple didn?t necessarily revolutionize the industry in 2014, but they definitely made their mark,? said Craig Palli, chief strategy officer at Fiksu, Boston. ?As our tracker has shown, the iPhone 6 came out of the gate as one of Apple?s most popular phones in years.

?Apple also announced the impending launch of its Apple Watch, which could dramatically increase the use of wearables, and, potentially revolutionize that category. With the device expected to launch in early 2015, however, the full impact remains to be seen.?

2015 predictions
Flurry believes that if Christmas is an indicator for the trajectory of mobile devices and apps ahead, iOS devices will likely continue to show strong performances, while phablets will also gain more traction in the consumer sector.

Marketers should focus on investing more heavily into apps if they have not already, as data displays that users? time spent on mobile eclipsed time spent watching television.

Fiksu?s Cost Per Loyal User Index also declined 27 percent in November, like due to two factors: the introduction of iPhone 6 and 6 plus devices into the market, and higher overall app engagement. The surge of new iOS devices resulted higher organic download volumes because consumers were eager to download all of their favorite apps onto their new smartphones, especially around downtime during the holidays.

In-app user engagement increased by 21 percent. Meanwhile, the Android Cost per Launch Index and Cost per Install also decreased, providing attractive opportunities for marketers seeking to increase audiences of Android users in 2015.

?More so now than ever before, marketers can focus on getting their apps in front of exactly the right audience, which increases their chances of acquiring loyal users,? Mr. Palli said. ?User characteristics across apps can vary dramatically, so the most effective approach for marketers is to identify the types of audiences who would be most interested in their app, and figure out how to precisely target them.

?Using social networks like Facebook and Twitter, as well as other channels like RTB, marketers can do exactly that, cost-effectively building a base of engaged users. Another proven way for marketers to more aggressively get in front of users is to use incentivized marketing.

?Rewards-based networks (like Fiksu's own FreeMyApps, Tapjoy, and others) allow marketers to get a large amount of download volume in a short period of time.?

Apple tips the scales
Apple?s banner Christmas this year cemented its status as the mobile brand to beat in 2015. With Apple devices accounting for 51.3 percent of new activations in the week leading up to Christmas Day, the brand activated 2.9 devices for every one Samsung device.

Nokia took third place with 5.8 percent of new device activations, while Sony and LG trailed behind with 1.6 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.

?Based on the trends thus far, we definitely think December download volumes will set a new high water mark,? Mr. Palli said. ?November?s 8.1 million daily downloads was already a record high, and based on previous season trends, we expect that number to increase this December.

?In each of the last two holiday seasons, download volume has increased roughly 14 percent month over month from November to December. We expect to see a similar, if not more significant jump month over month this December, leading to yet another record high.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York