Localytics used the top 20 countries for mobile devices between December 1 and 20 to establish a baseline. The average daily activation rate for this period was compared to the average for December 25 and 26, to allow for devices given on Christmas to be activated the next day.

In 2007, Steve Jobs looked into the future:

“We’ve got two strong legs on our chair today — we have the Mac business, which is a $10 billion business, and music, our iPod and iTunes business, which is $10 billion. We hope the iPhone is the third leg on our chair, and maybe one day Apple TV will be the fourth leg.”

It’s a good thing Jobs used the word “maybe”, because the iPad has just sailed straight past Apple TV to become that fourth leg. During its first quarter on the market, iPad has already become Apple’s third biggest revenue stream. Despite supply constraints, the combined revenue of Apple’s two newest legs – iPhones & iPads – already exceeds combined revenue from the original Mac and iPod legs by 25%.

While US mobile carriers are moving away from ‘all -you-can-eat’ plans, in favour of usage-based pricing for mobile devices such as iPhone and Android devices,  Australian carriers may be heading the other way:

Communication company AAPT’s CEO Paul Broad said the iPad would push the limits of data demands and force customers to rethink their broadband plans.

An unlimited data plan, first offered by AAPT, is now being offered by other ISPs in anticipation of the iPad launch.

“The market has moved enormously towards an unlimited product, which is fantastic,” Mr Broad said.

The unlimited plans cost more, but their existence will at least create a platform for competition.