“Apple’s iPhone 5C is in some deep trouble in China, it appears,” Don Reisinger reports for CNET.
“Unlike the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S, which have watched sales soar since their launch last year, the iPhone 5C has had trouble getting off the ground, new data from China-based analytics company Umeng shows,” Reisinger reports. “The iPhone 5 is actually the most popular Apple smartphone in China at the moment, accounting for about 15 percent of Umeng’s network. The iPhone 5S comes in at 12 percent, while the iPhone 5C can only muster 2 percent.”
Reisinger reports, “Although Apple doesn’t announce unit sales itself, the company’s iPhone 5C is believed to be its least-popular handset and has failed to capture the attention of those on a budget.”
Read more in the full article here.
Steven Millward reports for The South China Post, “Apple reportedly limited production of the iPhone 5c shortly following the product’s launch, and rumours have suggested that the device may be discontinued following the launch of the iPhone 6 later this year.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: This was rather obvious when iPhone 5c specs/pricing was unveiled:
The iPhone 5s is separated from iPhone 5c in many ways: Touch ID fingerprint recognition, materials quality, the camera’s larger 8MP sensor with 1.5µ pixels, ƒ/2.2 aperture, dual LED True Tone flash, Burst mode, slo-mo video, improved video stabilization, a 64GB option, and, of course, the A7 chip with 64-bit architecture and M7 motion coprocessor.
Unless you’re allergic to aluminum and/or fine craftsmanship, there is no reason why anyone who can afford an iPhone would not buy an iPhone 5s (unless you’re buying a first iPhone for your son or daughter). Even then, if you want a brightly colored polycarbonate phone or some feeling of extra protection from drops and dings, slap a plastic case on the iPhone 5s. There, it almost weighs as much as the 5c now.
The bulk of any smartphone cost is the data, not the phone.
Am I missing something or is the price difference between the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c too insignificant to ever consider opting for the 5c?
Why the hell would anyone buy an iPhone 5c instead of an iPhone 5s?
It seems to me that Apple is using the iPhone 5c as a tool to push buyers to the 5s (well, at least those buyers who can grasp a simple value equation).
Once Apple gets the customer to the websites or into the stores and the prospective buyer can see and/or hold both phones and learn that they’re only separated by a mere $100, my guess is that Apple figures they’ll have plenty of upsales occurring. Upsales that will boost Apple’s iPhone margins nicely. — SteveJack, MacDailyNews: “Why would anyone buy an iPhone 5c instead of an iPhone 5s?” – September 10, 2013, the very day both iPhones were revealed
Related articles:
More evidence that the iPhone 5c is a worldwide flop – March 13, 2014
Will Apple unapologetically abandon plastic after apparent failure of iPhone 5c? – March 4, 2014
Cook tacitly admits Apple blew it with iPhone 5c – January 28, 2014
Was iPhone 5c the cause of Apple’s woes? – January 28, 2014
MacDailyNews presents live notes from Apple’s Q114 Conference Call – January 27, 2014
Why would anyone buy an iPhone 5c instead of an iPhone 5s? – September 10, 2013
MDN’s right. There’s little reason to buy a 5c when one have have the amazing 5s.
*can* have
If carrier deals were as sweet as in the US, the 5C would’ve been flying off the shelf. The only reason I’m holding off one is you’re asked to pay even more than buying it contract-free.
Apple should seriously ramp up its reseller programme in emerging nations, carriers are easily bribed there and will not push iPhone if the competition is paying them to shurn droids.
Yet more junk analysis. The iPhone 5c is not a new model. It’s a repackaged iPhone 5.
The only meaningful comparison would be to plot iPhone 5c sales against second year sales of the iPhone 4s.
Still waiting to see comparisons between the sales of the 5c compared to the sales of the 4s in the same spot the previous year …
Well the whole idea was for it to be percieved as not just a repackaged last years phone otherwise there would be no point whatsoever repackaging it in the first place.
Tim Cook already stated the 5C is selling at a faster rate than did the 4S a year ago. That is very good for Apple since those who, for some odd reason, value the $100 difference will buy a phone that costs Apple less to make than would an iPhone 5. Those who look at the 5C and are compelled to upgrade will is also a win for Apple. It will be interesting to see what happens with the new lower cost 8GB 5C.
Sell off 5c and bring back updated 4s with lightning and
16GB.
When you make tiny screen plastic crap running the world’s worst mobile OS, iOS 7, people will shun your product like the plague. Cook’s lack of innovation brought this on Apple and China has voted with its feet.
Yes, it is obvious when you look ad the millions upon millions of iPhones that are sold every day; not to mention hundreds of millions of people running iOS7 (more than any other OS version out there).
Real numbers tell a different story, but such a story doesn’t sell news…
Don’t think so Drag. Even Tim Cook said the 5C wasn’t selling as well as they thought it would.
Actually, Tim Cook said in the shareholder meeting that 5c is selling better than any previous model in its position. While the statement was somewhat circumspect, it rather clearly implied that in the usual tom-middle-bottom model line-up, 5c as the middle model sold better than middle models did in prior years. The only difference is that those from prior years were year-old models, while 5c was a new design; however, its positioning in the line-up was very clear.
It looks to me that there are many who wanted 5c to sell better than the top-tier 5s, and when it didn’t they declared the sales volume dismal and sisappointing.
Steven Millward reports for The South China Post, “Apple reportedly limited production of the iPhone 5c shortly following the product’s launch, and rumours have suggested that the device may be discontinued following the launch of the iPhone 6 later this year.”
So does this mean the 4S will stay on as the ‘free’ w/2yr service phone for one more year?
I’ve been working seasonal at Target, so I want to buy an yellow iPhone 5c with a staff discount, but the nearest one to me is 176 miles away. If stores are not keeping them in stock, no wonder sales are low.
Dumb. Try comparing it to the iPhone 4S when the iPhone 5 was released. That’s the real comparison.