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back to article Americans shift gaze to cheap(ish) iPhone 5c, rest of world slurps 5s bling

The latest sales data on Apple's iPhone 5c shows that US buyers are coming round to the cheaper handset, but the rest of the world is still giving it the cold shoulder and choosing the more expensive 5s model. Market analysts Localytics has been tracking activations of the two handsets since their launch and the latest data …

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  1. Martin Budden Silver badge

    "Does this make the US an 'emerging market'?"

    A significant chunk* of the US population, yes.

    *46.5 million: http://money.cnn.com/2013/09/17/news/economy/poverty-income/

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  2. IAmTheMillipede

    Yay for America, where you can buy your iPhone at walmart and you'll see mostly iOS devices in the hands of unemployeed, overweight trailor park residents. That those folks cheap out more willingly than the average consumer does not surprise me.

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    1. Graphsboy
      Reply Icon

      Don't be bitter. Save up your pennies and one day you'll be able to afford one.

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "and the 5c was billed as a cheaper handset for emerging markets"

    Only by "analysts" and "journalists."

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    1. SuccessCase
      Reply Icon

      Re: "and the 5c was billed as a cheaper handset for emerging markets"

      Well said. Also we can expect the sales ratio to change in any case, because this is from the launch period where the 5s has always been bound to perform relatively stronger than the 5c. The 5c will make gains in the holiday period when there are more non-selfie purchasers. The 5c is in any case already selling proportionately more than the 4s did compare to the 5. In absolute terms both the 5s and 5c are selling far more than their counterparts from last year. Since the objective of Apple appears to have been to stay high-end and increase margin, it's already looking like an all round successful strategy.

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    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "and the 5c was billed as a cheaper handset for emerging markets"

      Only by "analysts" and "journalists."

      and "Apple"

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      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: "and the 5c was billed as a cheaper handset for emerging markets"

        When did Apple ever say that?

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  4. Mark Simon

    Is this one of Apple’s marketing errors.

    Apple is wildly successful, but there are some marketing disasters in its history. The Apple 2GS, the Apple 3, the original portable Mac, possibly the Lisa, and the Newton, to name a few disappointments.

    Most people I know buy their iPhone on a plan. The cost difference between the 5S and the 5C is little enough, but spread over the life time of the plan, it becomes trivial. I haven’t yet worked out why you would even consider a 5C … ?

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Is this one of Apple’s marketing errors.

      In the US, on AT&T at least, the cost of a 5S is $199 and the 5C is $99. That's half price. Most people don't understand about phone subsidies.

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      1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: Is this one of Apple’s marketing errors.

        A quick browse to CarPhoneWarehouse shows:-

        5c/16Gb £32/month

        5s/64Gb £42/month

        (reading the small print advised though)

        AT&T and the rest of the US Industry are stuck in the 1980's.

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        1. tony
          Reply Icon
          Happy

          Re: Is this one of Apple’s marketing errors.

          I think you're looking at the 16gb 5s price,

          I'm assuming a quick browse means the headline "from £x" price at the top of each phone's pages?

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    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Is this one of Apple’s marketing errors.

      >> I haven’t yet worked out why you would even consider a 5C … ?

      The same people who would have bought a '5' once the '5s' was out even though it's only about $100 cheaper or those that just want a more colourful handset = lots of people.

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  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "the 5c was billed as a cheaper handset for emerging markets"

    It may be the fact that it is cheap(er) but where exactly did Apple say that? Sure everyone else said the C was for China or Cheap etc. - but did Apple actually ever say it was specifically cheap / designed for emerging markets - think it was more that it could hit a $99 on-contract price point in the US?

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