Apple's pricier iPhone 5s reportedly outsells more affordable iPhone 5c by wide margin

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple's new high-end iPhone 5s proved to be the most popular choice for early adopters this weekend, outselling the mid-range iPhone 5c by more than threefold, a new report claims.

Localytics


Data published Monday by Localytics found that the iPhone 5s was 3.4 times more popular than the iPhone 5c after the first three days of availability. The firm's data is based on data from over 20 million unique iPhones tracked through applications and customers.

Together, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c represented 1.36 percent of all iPhones activated in the U.S. through carriers AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. The iPhone 5s represents 1.05 percent of all U.S. iPhones, while the iPhone 5c accounts for 0.31 percent.

"That means the iPhone 5s outshines the 5c by a factor of 3.4x, a clear indicator that early adopters are favoring the high-end 5s compared to the 5c," wrote Bernd Lerger, vice president of marketing at Localytics. "This makes sense since those who feel the need to buy a new device the very weekend it launches are most likely the power users who want the highest-end phone experience."

The iPhone 5s is Apple's new flagship phone, featuring the A7 processor, Touch ID fingerprint scanner, M7 motion coprocessor, and improved iSight camera. The iPhone 5c, meanwhile, features largely the same parts and performance last last year's iPhone 5, but features a new polycarbonate plastic back that comes in a range of five new colors.

Breaking down adoption of the latest iPhones by carriers, Localytics unsurprisingly found that AT&T was the most popular choice for users. For years AT&T was the exclusive carrier of the iPhone, and the wireless provider has remained the default choice for most iPhone users in the U.S.

Internationally, the data also shows the iPhone 5s outpacing the iPhone 5c, by an even greater factor of 3.7 times. In Japan, the iPhone 5s is more popular than the iPhone 5c by a factor of five.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 56
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Why is this even news? Of course 5S is going to be more popular on launch weekend. 5C isn't the kind of phone that people have to have NOW. But I'm sure over time it will sell very well and will probably be Christmas gifts for lots of people.
  • Reply 2 of 56
    Fortune goes with, "An early sign that Apple may have erred when it set the price of the iPhone 5C so high."

    Really?

    Wall Street wanted a cheap, junk smartphone from Apple and Apple chose not to produce junk. Now when the higher priced iPhone 5s outsells the less expensive iPhone 5c, Apple erred.

    Hmmm...

    Maybe Apple wanted to sell more iPhone 5s smartphones to show Wall Street that Apple knows its business better than analyst.
  • Reply 3 of 56
    The 5s just has so much more, and the price difference in negligible compared to the total cost of ownership (initial fee plus 24xMonthly rate).

    Having said that, the plastic case is actually a big feature IMHO. I was blown away by the quality of this (as nice as, but different from, the metal version), and if it wasn't for the rather feminine colors, I could be tempted. The 5c just has a really nice feel.

    A 5s in a black 5c case would sell well, I think. I guess that'll come next year :-)
  • Reply 4 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by leavingthebigG View Post



    Fortune goes with, "An early sign that Apple may have erred when it set the price of the iPhone 5C so high."



    Really?



    Wall Street wanted a cheap, junk smartphone from Apple and Apple chose not to produce junk. Now when the higher priced iPhone 5s outsells the less expensive iPhone 5c, Apple erred.



    Hmmm...



    Maybe Apple wanted to sell more iPhone 5s smartphones to show Wall Street that Apple knows its business better than analyst.

     

    Yes, but what's the point of designing, manufacturing, and selling a second less expensive model when it's barely less expensive than the flagship phone?  Who's going to buy the 5C?  The thing still costs $550 off-contract.

     

    Apple should have designed a phone that is equivalent to the 3S or 4 in specs and features.  With today's technology I would think that is doable at a very low cost and be able to sell the phone at $400 off-contract and free on-contract.  And I wouldn't consider a 3S or 4 junk.

  • Reply 5 of 56
    If anything close these proportions are true, Apple will have to cut 5C prices to start at $449 unlocked.

    Some of us predicted it on keynote date.
  • Reply 6 of 56
    Apple just announced: 9 million units!!!!!

    WOW!
  • Reply 7 of 56
    jlljll Posts: 2,713member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by techguy911 View Post

     

     

    Yes, but what's the point of designing, manufacturing, and selling a second less expensive model when it's barely less expensive than the flagship phone?  Who's going to buy the 5C?  The thing still costs $550 off-contract.


    The same kind who bought 4S in the last year.

  • Reply 8 of 56
    Apple just announced: 9 million units!!!!!

    WOW!

    Link? I want to read and then gloat, in that order.
  • Reply 9 of 56
    The 5c price does seem a little close to the 5s, Apple erred in not setting the price of the 5s higher.
  • Reply 10 of 56
    The 5C will likely be huge around the holidays and carriers will likely offer deals mid cycle. I think, overtime, the 5C will become the most popular iPhone, as it caters to a wider market.

    I mean, if you're getting a subsidized smartphone, why wouldn't you pay $99 and get an an iPhone? Or the 4S which is free.
  • Reply 11 of 56
    jlljll Posts: 2,713member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Pendergast View Post





    Link? I want to read and then gloat, in that order.

     

    http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2013/09/23First-Weekend-iPhone-Sales-Top-Nine-Million-Sets-New-Record.html

  • Reply 13 of 56
    The charts are upside down, the source loses credibility with me. But the facts are about what we were expecting anyway.
  • Reply 14 of 56
    Numbers come from app usage? Perhaps that only implies majority of 5s were sold to people who already had iPhones which would also have a library of apps. 5c were new customers who are mainly stock apps and a perhaps 1 or few purchased apps.
  • Reply 15 of 56
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member

    Hardly surprising, the 5c is over priced. Should have made it $50 - 100 cheaper.

     

    Apple decided to increase margins instead of keeping them the same, the 5c is undoubtedly cheaper to produce than the iPhone 5 was. Had the iPhone 5c not been released then the iPhone 5 would be priced at the same.

     

    The 5c is a lovely phone, it really is but Apple have been greedy.

  • Reply 16 of 56
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    techguy911 wrote: »
    Yes, but what's the point of designing, manufacturing, and selling a second less expensive model when it's barely less expensive than the flagship phone?  Who's going to buy the 5C?  The thing still costs $550 off-contract.

    Apple should have designed a phone that is equivalent to the 3S or 4 in specs and features.  With today's technology I would think that is doable at a very low cost and be able to sell the phone at $400 off-contract and free on-contract.  And I wouldn't consider a 3S or 4 junk.

    The 3GS and 4 tech can't run iOS 7 properly.
    analogjack wrote: »
    The 5c price does seem a little close to the 5s, Apple erred in not setting the price of the 5s higher.

    Haha.
    saarek wrote: »
    Hardly surprising, the 5C is over priced. Should have made it $50 - 100 cheaper

    Haha.
  • Reply 17 of 56
    techguy911 wrote: »
    Yes, but what's the point of designing, manufacturing, and selling a second less expensive model when it's barely less expensive than the flagship phone?  Who's going to buy the 5C?  The thing still costs $550 off-contract.

    Been around for a year or two? Ever noticed the previous years phone reduced to this exact same price? Seen the keynotes where Tim talks about how surprised they are at the amount of sales for the previous years models?

    Nothing has really changed, apart from now being able to market the mid level phone as a new model. It hasn't even been available for a week!

    Who's going to buy the 5c? Probably the similar sorts who bought all those 4s' over the last year. And a few new ones attracted to the pretty colours....
    Apple should have designed a phone that is equivalent to the 3S or 4 in specs and features.  With today's technology I would think that is doable at a very low cost and be able to sell the phone at $400 off-contract and free on-contract.  And I wouldn't consider a 3S or 4 junk.

    My 4 started to run a bit slow and misses out in lots of new features, but like you I don't think it was junk. I would've been happy keeping mine if I didn't wreck it. I can see plenty being happy with that level of phone in a new skin, and for a lower cost.

    A 3GS though? Nope. Using one now until 5s released here. Slow and painful. Still a neat gadget for the right price, but for a company that prides itself on cutting edge quality? I couldn't see it.
  • Reply 18 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post



    If anything close these proportions are true, Apple will have to cut 5C prices to start at $449 unlocked.



    Some of us predicted it on keynote date.

     

    Or, they could just raise 5s production and cut 5c.  I don't think Apple is religious with respect to 5s v. 5c production ratios.

  • Reply 19 of 56
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post



    If anything close these proportions are true, Apple will have to cut 5C prices to start at $449 unlocked.



    Some of us predicted it on keynote date.

     

    Last years phone was always $ 550. This year Apple just increased margins on last years phone.

  • Reply 20 of 56
    saarek wrote: »
    Hardly surprising, the 5c is over priced. Should have made it $50 - 100 cheaper.

    Apple decided to increase margins instead of keeping them the same, the 5c is undoubtedly cheaper to produce than the iPhone 5 was. Had the iPhone 5c not been released then the iPhone 5 would be priced at the same.

    The 5c is a lovely phone, it really is but Apple have been greedy.

    Ever seen the estimated bill of materials for iPhones? I haven't seen the casing specifically noted, but It doesn't appear to be a huge cost. Everyone who says that plastic case should equal $50 to $100 cheaper phone must be guessing pretty high on manufacturing costs...

    In the amounts that sell though, even saving a dollar or two per phone would help provide a bit more pocket change for the company.

    What I'd be interested to see is the breakdown of latest phone compared to updated cost for last years phone and the year before.

    Memory seems to half its price each year (where's my 32Gb entry level for same $ as last years 16Gb?), but I wonder about other costs?

    As someone said recently here too - The plastic 5c makes sense that this year that if making the casing of the 5 was time consuming and would've depleted capacity for making the 5s.
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