iPhone 5s Outsells iPhone 5c by ~3.5x in Launch Weekend According to Analytics Data

While Apple announced record-breaking iPhone launch weekend sales of nine million units earlier today, the company did not break down relative sales of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Analytics firm Localytics has, however, shared some data on usage, revealing that among U.S. users the iPhone 5s is being seen 3.4 times as often as the iPhone 5c.

In less than 3 days, the iPhone 5s and 5c combined now represent about 1.36% of the total numbers of all iPhones activated in the U.S. market across the top 4 carriers AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile. From the data we are seeing, 1.05% of all iPhones in the United States are now iPhone 5s and just 0.31% are iPhone 5c. That means that the iPhone 5s outshines the 5c by a factor of 3.4x, a clear indicator that the early adopters are favoring the high-end 5s compared to 5c.

iphone_5s_5c_share
International data shows a similar pattern according to Localytics, with iPhone 5s usage outpacing that of the iPhone 5c by 3.7x, with some countries such as Japan seeing ratios of as high as 5x.

While Apple made the iPhone 5c available for pre-order and has had fairly strong stocks of the device in its retail stores, the iPhone 5s has seen significant shortages, with online orders through Apple's U.S. store currently being quoted October shipping estimates. Gold and silver iPhone 5s models have been in particularly short supply, with even Apple's own retail stores having almost no supply of those devices on launch day.

The disparity in popularity between the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c is unlikely to persist over the long-term, as the iPhone 5s is more likely to be the device of choice for early adopters who made the effort to purchase the device on the launch weekend, while the lower-cost iPhone 5c will likely improve its relative performance over time as the bulk of customers who are likely to be more budget conscious purchase new phones as they become upgrade eligible.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb

iPhone SE 4 Launching as Soon as Next Week

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Ordered by UK to Create Global iCloud Encryption Backdoor

Friday February 7, 2025 2:37 am PST by
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post. The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before...
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Thursday February 6, 2025 7:31 am PST by
Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks. iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and...
Apple Leak Feature

Apple Leaker Issues Apology: 'Profound and Expensive Mistake'

Friday February 7, 2025 9:21 am PST by
Last year, we reported that Apple sued its former software engineer Andrew Aude for providing journalists with confidential information about the company's future plans, including details about the Journal app, Vision Pro headset, and more. As reported by 9to5Mac, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit after Apple and Aude reached an agreement to resolve...
imac video apple feature

Apple to Announce New Products Next Week

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple has yet to release any new devices in 2025, but at least two new products are expected to be announced next week, according to rumors. Below, we outline the new Apple products that are likely to be unveiled next week. iPhone SE 4 Apple plans to announce the long-rumored iPhone SE 4 as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new iPhone SE is rumored to...

Top Rated Comments

applesith Avatar
149 months ago
Higher priced phone is more popular? More evidence pointing to why Apple does not need to make a "cheap" phone.
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cube Avatar
149 months ago
Higher priced phone is more popular? More evidence pointing to why Apple does not need to make a "cheap" phone.

No, evidence that the 5C is not cheap enough.
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pancakedrawer Avatar
149 months ago
Hopefully Apple realises that they priced the iPhone 5C too high and we actually get the low-cost iPhone we all wanted.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jrswizzle Avatar
149 months ago
If people think about this, it isn't all that surprising.

What type of person will be waiting in line for a new iPhone - the type who wants the latest and greatest, aka the iPhone 5S.

Down the line, however, the 5C will likely catch up in popularity as those looking for a "cheaper" upgrade could go for the colorful, durable 5C option.

Way to early to call the 5C a fail or flop as we have no yet reached the time period/consumer base for which the phone was intended.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleWarMachine Avatar
149 months ago
Maybe because the 5c is an iPhone 5 wrapped in colored plastic :eek:
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Adelphos33 Avatar
149 months ago
First weekend sales will skew heavily towards the latest phone - that said, 2-3 mn 5C sold is a big win for Apple. At the end of the day, the margins are likely similar, so Apple is probably agnostic towards the split
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)