Apple iPod Touch, iPad Lead List of Favorite Holiday iGifts [Survey]

In the war between Apple and Android, there are no holiday breaks. That incessant back-and-forth could be seen in how many devices were activated during the Christmas weekend. According to a mobile analytics firm, Apple destroyed Android in places like the U.S., the U.K. and Germany, often spearheaded by the iPod touch and iPad.

Overall, Apple’s lead was small — 12.5 times more device activated versus 12 times for Android — but regionally, there were stark differences. In the U.S. for instance, iOS device activations were 15 to 16 times the number of Android. Domestically, we saw 21 more iPod touch devices and 14 times as many iPhones, according to Localytics.

Still, Android was popular in 14 of the 20 countries surveyed, particularly in Asian nations like South Korea and some European countries, such as Sweden.

What’s the takeaway from these numbers? Despite less growth in mature markets like the U.S. and the U.K., the Apple brand remains very strong. Android is still seen as the less-expensive alternative to the iOS, particularly in some Asian countries – particularly in home countries of Android makers such as Samsung’s South Korea. In terms of the all-important China question, Apple may encounter a bumpy road should Android gain a foothold there in 2012.

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