With a wide range of products available, there were undoubtedly still plenty of Apple devices under Christmas trees this year. The opportunity to wish you a very happy holiday for this 16th winter in your company! Yes, since the arrival of the iPhone in France in the summer of 2008, iPhoneSoft has been helping you discover and master your Apple devices.
Unsurprisingly, the most popular products were the AirPods 4, the Apple Watch SE and the iPad 10. Little or no iPhone 16 or MacBook Pro M4 under the tree, their price being an obvious obstacle. Generally, those who own these devices buy them themselves.
Merry Christmas to all our readers
Let’s start by wishing you a Merry Christmas! On this magical day, let’s take a moment to celebrate this extraordinary year in the world of Apple and technology. As you know, 2024 was marked by many new developments.
This year’s new features
Among the notable facts, how can we not mention the iPhone 16 with even more advanced photographic capabilities, including a Camera Control button. This is also the first time that the “Pro” range has been overtaken by the standard range, the fault of a famished number of new features on the most expensive phones.
The arrival of the iPad Pro M4 with OLED screen was also a great moment, capable of running AAA games without batting an eyelid, although its price put off more than one customer. Its ultra-thin design will certainly inspire the rest of the range in 2025, particularly for the highly anticipated iPhone 17 Air.
We also don’t forget the excellent Mac mini M4, which made an impression thanks to an incredible price/performance ratio, just like the excellent AirPods 4, with or without active noise reduction.
In addition, Apple has finally launched into generative artificial intelligence, with the first salvo of functionalities erected under the Apple Intelligence banner in iOS 18 and macOS 15. For the moment, the French are not entitled to it, but this will quickly be forgotten in April 2025. There is no doubt that next year will still be dedicated to AI, although leaders like OpenAI are starting to face serious problems.
Finally, a word about our iSoft application, which has passed a major milestone with the redesign of version 9, entirely in SwitUI and compatible with the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro. Very widely adopted, iSoft v9 remains free, with the possibility of paying to remove advertising and have some additional benefits.
Above all, we hope that your holidays are filled with joy, human warmth and unforgettable moments. Technology should bring us together, not isolate us.
iSoft competition
Let us take advantage of this article to propose 5 annual subscriptions to winafter the draw this evening. Simply comment on this article telling us about the most important event in Apple news this year in your opinion.
Christmas gifts
Let’s move on to the best-selling Apple products at Christmas.
AirPods
Since their launch in 2016, AirPods remain one of the most popular gifts during the holidays. Moreover, more generally, earphones and headsets are often among the most requested at Christmas.
Thanks to the popularity of the Apple brand and the dominance of AirPods in the wireless earphone market (21% market share), they represent a substantial part of these purchases. Their affordability compared to other Apple devices, coupled with frequent promotions, makes them an ideal choice for gifting. More than the price, it is their strengths such as effortless pairing, quality sound as well as advanced functions such as transparency or spatial audio that make AirPods a totally separate accessory.
Apple recently launched the fourth generation of AirPods in two versions:
- Entry-level model: €149
- High-end model: €199, with active noise cancellation and wireless charging.
These two options were in high demand (see our test of the AirPods 4), alongside the AirPods Pro 2. But let’s not forget the Beats, with the Solo Buds, an entry-level model which was a hit on the last days (to 59 € only currently on Amazon).
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is the other holiday must-have. For all ages, Apple’s smart watch still has more than 40% market share worldwide, thanks to a clever mix of elegant design and useful features.
According to data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), Apple Watches are offered five times more during Christmas than the rest of the year.
To date, the Apple Watch range consists of three models:
- Apple Watch SE: Starting at €249, it offers an affordable option in the Apple universe with many sports and health functions.
- Apple Watch Series 10: The standard flagship model with all sensors including ECG.
- Apple Watch Ultra 2: A premium option for advanced users and serious athletes.
Thanks to frequent promotions, the Apple Watch, in particular the SE model (on promotion at €219 on Amazon), is a popular gift during the holidays. It’s also a good excuse to make good resolutions, as it monitors your health on a daily basis.
iPad
The latest popular gift from Apple is none other than the iPad, a device loved by families and students, thanks to its versatility that extends from video games to word processing to videos to surfing the Internet .
For this Christmas, sales were multiplied by three, a sign of the domination of Apple’s tablet (36% market share).
The range includes options for all budgets:
- 10th generation iPad: Starting at €409, it has a 10.9-inch screen, an A14 Bionic chip and compatibility with accessories like the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard Folio.
- iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro: Offer more premium options with additional features such as a more efficient screen, a faster processor or even increased compatibility with accessories.
As with its two friends, the iPad 10 benefits from a price often reduced on promotion (less than €350 in general), as well as a design similar to the most expensive models. Something to appeal to everyone.
And what did you get for Christmas?
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