iPhone 5C Makes Gains For Apple, But Not In The UK

Apple’s multi-device strategy is having mixed results in different markets, according to the latest sales figures from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, which reveal that although the cheaper iPhone 5C is expanding the company’s market share in the US, it is being outsold in the UK by the iPhone 5S to the tune of three to one.

iOS devices accounted for 28.7 percent of all smartphones sold in the last three months, a year-on-year decrease of four percent, as Android increased its share by 1.6 percent to 55.6 percent. Windows Phone’s recent success has continued and it now controls 11.9 percent of the UK market.

iPhone 5C performance

Analysts says the uplift from the new iPhone models has not been as great as when the iPhone 5 was launched last year, but this is not surprising as consumers do not respond as well to “incremental” updates like the 5S and 5C.

However they add that the launch of the handsets has resulted to some “spectacular results in certain markets”, especially Japan and the US, where market share has increased.

“The cheaper 5C appeals to a broader audience than Apple usually attracts,” says Dominic Sunnebo, strategic insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. “The good news for Apple is that this wider appeal is attracting significant switching from competitors.  Almost half of iPhone 5C owners switched from competitor brands, particularly Samsung and LG, compared with 80 percent of 5S owners who upgraded from a previous iPhone model.”

Windows Phone growth

Apple is experiencing greater difficulty in the rest of Europe and controls just 15.8 percent of all sales in the five biggest markets – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Android remains dominant with a 70.9 percent share, but Windows Phone now accounts for 10.9 percent of the market.

Microsoft’s mobile platform is now present on five percent of all smartphones sold in the US, with the success of mid-range handsets continuing to fuel rapid growth.

“Momentum for Windows Phone is continuing, although its growth remains reliant on low-end handsets,” adds Sunnebo. “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.”

Christmas number one?

In terms of overall handsets, separate research from uSwitch suggests the best-selling handset in the UK this Christmas is likely to be made by either Apple or Samsung.

According to the uSwitch Mobile Tracker, which is based on live searches, pre-orders and sales, the gold and black version of the iPhone 5S currently occupy the top two places at the start of December, beating the Samsung Galaxy S4 into third and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 into fourth.

The most popular version of the 5C is the white version, with some suggesting that the ‘garish’ colours available at launch, coupled with a relatively expensive price tag for the phone could be putting off consumers.

In our recent poll, TechWeekEurope readers said they would would rather have an iPhone 5 than an iPhone 5C, but the majority say they would prefer to have no iPhone at all than settle for one of Apple’s budget options.

What do you know about the iPhone 5S and 5C? Find out with our quiz!