Apple iPhone 5s outsells 5c three to one in Britain

Apple iPhone 5s outsells 5c three to one in Britain

Apple's higher-end iPhone 5s model has outsold the 5c by three to one since their release.

The popularity of Apple's iPhone 5s far exceeds that of its cheaper cousin, the iPhone 5c, with three times as many people opting for the high-end model, according to the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

However, the iPhone 5c appeals to a broader audience than Apple usually attracts, and has encouraged new customers to try the brand for the first time.

In the US, the biggest demand for the iPhone 5c comes from lower income households. Some 42 per cent of iPhone 5c owners earn less than $49,000 compared with just 21 per cent for iPhone 5s.

iPhone 5C customers also tend to be slightly older, at an average of 38 years compared to 34 years for the 5s.

"The good news for Apple is that this wider appeal is attracting significant switching from competitors," said Dominic Sunnebo, strategic insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

"Almost half of iPhone 5c owners switched from competitor brands, particularly Samsung and LG, compared with 80 per cent of 5s owners who upgraded from a previous iPhone model.”

Although the new iPhone 5c and 5s models have helped boost Apple’s market share compared to the previous month, the company has not seen the same uplift as when the iPhone 5 was released at the same time in 2012, according to Kantar.

Android remains the number one operating system in the UK with a 56 per cent share of the market, compared to Apple with 29 per cent. Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system is in third place with 12 percent, followed by BlackBerry with 3 per cent.

"Generally, Apple’s share of the market still remains lower than when the iPhone 5 was released, although this is not wholly unexpected as shoppers tend to react more positively to ‘full’ releases than incremental improvements such as the 5s and 5c," said Sunnebo.

“Momentum for Windows Phone is continuing, although its growth remains reliant on low-end handsets. In Britain, almost three quarters of Nokia Lumia sales in the latest period were low-end devices such as the Lumia 520 and 620 – a pattern that is similar across other EU markets."

Smartphone penetration in Great Britain stood at 68 per cent in October, with 86 per cent of devices sold in the previous three months being smartphones.

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