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Apple iPhone 5s vs 5c on launch weekend: flagship outsells plastic by a factor of three

By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Sep 23, 2013, 7:49 AM

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Apple iPhone 5s vs 5c on launch weekend: flagship outsells plastic by a factor of three

Research firm Localytics tracked data from 20 million unique iPhone IDs over the first weekend of availability for the new Apple crop, and it turned out that the flagship iPhone 5s is three times more popular than the cheaper iPhone 5c. This more or less jibes the results of our own poll put up before the two devices went on sale, where 80% of more than 3000 respondents said they'd get the 5s.

Together, the two fresh iPhone models are already representing 1.36% of all iPhones activated on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, with the flagship taking 1.05%, and the rest going to the iPhone 5c. AT&T, as the first exclusive iPhone carrier, still has the highest number of activations, followed by Verizon. Bernd Lerger, VP of marketing at Localytics, commented:

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. 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.

Looking at the numbers outside of the US, Localytics noted that the iPhone 5s is on average 3.7x more popular than the 5c, whereas that ratio in Japan, for example, jumped up to five times. As already pointed out, the launch weekend won't be a good indicator how well the colorful plastic iPhone will sell in the long run, when the first adopters have all gotten their fix, and given the record margin that Apple likely commands on the 5c, whatever it sells will pad Cupertino's coffers nicely.

source: Localytics via AppleInsider

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.