A day before the announcement of the new iPhones, analytics company Localytics has provided a picture of the iPhone market today. It shows that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus between them account for a full 40% of all iPhones in use, with the iPhone 5s trailing behind at 23.7%.
The same data also backs our report that the iPhone 5c is being discontinued, showing that it accounts for just 8.5% of active iPhones, putting it below the iPhone 4S. This can only add to doubts about whether the often rumored and debunked iPhone 6c (beautiful concept images below) could succeed …
The domination of the iPhone 6/Plus is no surprise, following a succession of record sales since its launch a year ago, but while 5c sales were expected to be relatively low, they appear to have been worse than expected. Localytics based its data on monitoring apps running on more than 100M iPhones during August.
The poor showing of the 5c casts further doubt onto its rumored replacement, the 6c. While sources confirm that Apple has been working on a new 4-inch device, we’re not expecting to see it tomorrow. Some rumors suggested Apple was planning a later launch, in November, while KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo has said we probably won’t see it until next year.
Given the apparent lack of interest in the 5c, you have to wonder whether launching a 6c makes sense at all – this year or next. Perhaps abandoning the plastic casing in favor of metal, simply using the size and specs to distinguish it, could give it a future? This is what Martin Hajek has shown in his latest concept images, the iPhone 6c depicted as simply a smaller version of the 6S.
Check out more images in the gallery below.
Would you be tempted by a 4-inch iPhone 6c with casing to match its larger brothers? Let us know in the comments.
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The biggest reason the 5C failed is because of its 8gb storage, it’s worthless.
AND because it was 32Bit, and the 5S and future models are 64 Bit, so I think psychologically speaking, people just wanted to be more “future proof”. At least, that’s my take on it. yeah, Apple needs to make 32GB standard. 16GB used to be enough, but not anymore. I have 16GB for my iPhone 6+ and it does fine because I don’t take photos and videos, but most people seem to use their phone as a point shoot camera/video camera and for those, 16GB won’t cut it. I bought my first iPhone with only 8GB because I wasn’t sure how much I was actually going to need that much storage. I quickly found that 8GB is totally worthless unless all you are using it for is basic needs smartphone. Some people simply don’t use their smartphone for photos/videos/music storage.
5c is great. look and feel is fine.
– an Apple sport watch companion ;-)
three sizes would be fine:
• iPhone mini
• iPhone
• iPhone pro ;-)
The 5c was a lesser phone with the same screen size as the 5s, at a slightly reduced price. The 6c would be a similar phone with a smaller screen size as the 6s, at a slightly reduced price. That would make it a lot easier to get for the average consumer.
What data is this graph based on?
“Localytics based its data on monitoring apps running on more than 100M iPhones during August.”
Yes…more than 50% iPhone 4 inch or less… ;-)
Only USA this graph! China and Europa have more than 20% 5c
I reckon the main reason the 5C was a flop is that it was based on old tech rather than new and of course the fact that it was plastic. Apple is considered a premium brand, it’s users don’t want a plastic iPhone. Despite the fact, that for a plastic device the 5C was a quality device. If cheaper iPod Touch’s were cool metal, why a plastic iPhone? I believe if the a 6C used up to date tech and metal construction with a 4″ display and was available in a variety of colors, like the iPod Touch, it would be a success.
i would buy it in a heartbeat
Apple needs a replacement of 5S capable of a standalone Apple Pay (Apple Watch was not so strong demand). So a 4 inch is straightforward
i have a feeling most companies wish that had a product that failed as hard as the iphone 5c in their portfolio… so 8.5 million for every 100 million iphone’s sold. quick math suggests that they’ve sold at least 20 million. if you combine the iphone 5 and 5c, since they are the same phone it seems like the product has done pretty well for itself over the life of it’s internals.
A 4 inch screen with iPhone 6 hardware, yes plz
Just Xperia Z5 compact….Battery 2700mAh ! Apple 6-6s just 1870mAH ;-)
Question is, is the 4″ form factor still desirable. The 5,5S and 5C still add up to 45% of the pie; I guess this will change but it still makes sense for developers to optimize for this form factor right now (as well as the iPhone 6 4.7″ form factor). The trickier thing is the iPhone 6 Plus, it’s new so maybe the share will grow, but right now I imagine developers are more concerned with 4″ and 4.7″ form factors.
if your conclusion is based on % of 5c vs. % of 5s, then surely by the same rationale you’d say that the 6plus is a failure too!
5c 8.5% < 5s 23.7% – 5s is 2.79x more popular
6plus 9.1% < 6 30.1% – 6 is 3.31x more popular!
Why should it ever be called the 6c?! My opinion is that a new 4-inch iphone has to come sooner or later. Just like 3 ipad/ mac sizes, 3 iphone sizes makes so much sense. Even though 60% of the market will go for the 4.7″, there will still be about 20% who will favour the 5.5″ and another 20% the 4″. The latter could be kids, women, or men who just happen to prefer a smaller phones. 4″ are still much easier to operate single-handed than the 2 bigger counterparts.
I think the only reason Apple would not be releasing a new 4″ model for now is that it would not have enough differentiation to the existing 5s, which happens to still be a very descent iphone. I think the 4″ iphone is definitely coming sooner or later, perhaps under the name of iphone mini.
I’m amazed there are more iPhone 4Ses out there – I seem to see iPhone 5Cs everywhere I go. I only bought one as it was my first ever iPhone. Wouldn’t get another “C” phone.
Few things to note (Ben, I hope you’ll read this post, especially because of point 3):
1. My brother, who is a developer for almost a decade now, is still using his 5c and he is quite happy with it.
2. 8.5% is actually very high percentage, especially giving the fact that we are talking about the CURRENT time frame (August, and only 100M devices, not worldwide). I am pretty sure that there’s many people who sold their 5c to switch with 6 (because 5c is basically the 5, as we all know). I believe that the real percentage worldwide of 5c is about 12-15%. Which is a lot. Only if it was under 5% we could’ve called it a “disappointment” of some sort. But no, I believe there’s market for 5c and eventually for its little brother – 6c. Plenty of people will but it in a heartbeat.
3. Ben, if you calculate the percentages of 4/4s/5/5c, you’ll get 35.4%. If you add 5s – 59.1%. So that means that you have at least 35.4% who are using old (and aging) devices, who are also a huge portion of people who are probably considering upgrading. If you add to that the “2-cyclers”, you get almost 60% of all iPhone users (according to the information above). And then add the Android switchers, as well as the newcomers… and I am pretty sure that you’ll see why I am pretty sure that 6S will beat the 6 in sales (as I’ve already said under your posts, etc). I am really, really curious about the numbers! And I am pretty sure that you’ll cover the news when Apple releases the results. So looking forward to that. P.S. Great article, just as usual! :)
I think we have to distinguish between those who got hand-me-down phones from family members who upgraded, and/or bought used models at low prices, and those buying cheaper-model brand new phones. In that context, only the 5c counts today, so I think it’s fair to say it hasn’t set the world on fire – and even Tim Cook admitted he was disappointed (without revealing numbers).
Well, of course that Tim would be disappointed – he comes and lives in the high-profile corporate world. At its very highest high top of the top actually. Behind him he has dozens of brainwashed investors and shareholders who only want more and more and more. Besides that, everyone has his own opinion. Some might be very happy to work for $2000/month, and some might be sad working for $5000. But you are right, we have to distinguish these different groups. And, as always, maybe the truth is somewhere in between. But still, I think the percentage is good enough to keep producing the “c” phones. Someone noted – they have 3 laptops, 3 ipads (I believe that 9to5’s sources are credible and we’ll see the Pro tomorrow), why not 3 phones?
Thank you for your replay, looking forward to your next articles! :)
Have a 4s, been waiting for a replacement for 2 years. Giant phones are really not my thing, but I do need decent software life and facilities. Please Apple, before my phone fails.
I waited a long time myself, as the 4S seemed a good size to me given that I use my iPad for most data stuff. I eventually had to give in and get the 6 for Touch ID and Apple Pay, even though I viewed it as too big, but was surprised how quickly I got used to it. Now it just seems normal.
“Failure” of the iPhone 5c???
The iPhone 5c sold MORE units than any other smartphone model from other companies… That includes Samsung and its Galaxy S5.
That is the type of “failure” that every other mobile phone manufacturer in the world would love to have!
The whole argument whether the 5c is a success or not is moot because the alternative would have been to continue selling the 5 at a reduced price (like they did with the 4 when the 4S was released). Instead they discontinued the 5 and introduced the 5c. It also helped sell more 5s:es because people would see it as a more luxurious alternative to the 5c at only 100 bucks more. So I’d say it’s unfair to call the 5c a failure. A more proper way to analyze would be to combine the 5 and 5c numbers seeing as they are basically the same spec-wise.
In essence what I’m saying is that this data is a really poor excuse for the author to try to make an argument against there being a 6c.
Also, by the same logic Apple would not release a 6s Plus either seeing as the 6 Plus was apparently a failure as well. Which doesn’t make any sense.
I don’t think it was that bad per se, but I’m all for a more concise product line. I feel like Apple’s lineup expansion is getting a bit out of hand.
The 5C was the 3rd best selling phone after the iphone 5 and the samsung flagship. Only an Apple device that outsells 200 out of 202 phones is considered a “failure.”
In my opinion, the reason the 5C was a flop was it’s price point and storage.
People are not that tech-savvy to begin to consider the advantages of 64bits over 32bits. They just want a phone that will work fine.
Every iPhone has always been a flagship – and hence its high pricing. The 5C, with the plastic build, needed to be less expensive than it were in order to appeal to particular market audience. The 5C did cost a little below the iPhone 5. So why buy the 5C? I rather opt for 5 which has a more sophisticated look and feel.
I know it’s an anecdote, but I see way more 5c’s than any other iPhone.