[Swordmaker]

Appartently the Patently Apple staff doesn't have a proof reader...on staff. Or worse, they do and he/she is only semi-literate.

How about the fact that although it is a homophones for "peek," the meaning of "peak" is also an indication that iPhone/iPad/iOS usage spikes or PEAKS "at a few larger cities in the US & Canada?"

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Then it is an even more poorly constructed sentence than first seen. If, as you say, the author's intent was to use 'peak' intentionally to mean the highest level or greatest degree. Which I doubt.

But given the relative writing skills of journalists today...then it is possible.