iPhone 5S, 5C sales split down the middle, claims analyst
Sales of the two new iPhones during launch weekend were split around 50-50, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The iPhone 5S has dramatically outsold the iPhone 5C. Or has it?
A recent report from Localytics found that the number of iPhone 5S activations outscored those of the 5C by a factor of 3.4. But one analyst believes the gap in actual sales is much narrower.
In an investors note caught by AppleInsider, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple's two new phones split their sales about evenly, at least during their opening weekend.
Kuo believes that of the 9 million iPhones sales reported by Apple for launch weekend, between 3.5 million and 4.5 million were for the iPhone 5S. If true, that would mean between 4.5 million and 5.5 million were scored by the 5C.
The analyst pointed to the data from Localytics but said that their numbers were based on iPhone activations, while his are based on actual production, AppleInsider noted. Kuo also indicated that the approximately 50-50 split between the two iPhones was due in part to supply constraints of the 5S at launch time.
"From Apple's viewpoint, production, sell-in, sell-through and activation are different things," Kuo said. "Since iPhone 5S is in shortage now, numbers of production, sell-in, sell-through, and activation should be very close."
The 5S remains in short supply compared to its less expensive brother.
Apple's online store in the US shows that 5S models bought now won't ship until sometime in October, while 5C units ship within just 24 hours. However, the supply constraints for the 5S are easing up, Kuo added.