Despite record setting sales of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c over the launch weekend, it appears that it was the 5S that drove those sales and that the public’s response to the 5C is tepid at best.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, whose proven himself well connected to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), has rubbished his earlier prediction of iPhone 5c sales and lowered is shipments prediction for the just-concluded September quarter by 33 percent. Much of his prediction is a result of watching U.S retailers cut the price of the 5c
Apple shipped 11.4 million iPhone 5c units
Kuo now projects that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shipped 11.4 million iPhone 5c units in the September quarter. He also expects shipments to drop sequentially by 10 percent, to 10.4 million units, in the December quarter.
Kuo doesn’t necessarily expect overall iPhone shipments to disappoint. Kuo still believes that the iPhone 5s and the legacy iPhone 4S, often free on contract, are selling strong. Apple doesn’t break down sales of specific models, but concerns are growing that the iPhone 5c could be off to a slow start
he said in his report.Kuo was the first analyst to suggest that the iPhonec would replace the iPhone 5 to become Apple’s first mid-range phone and that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) would continue to manufacture the iPhone 4S. Numerous market watchers wrongly suggested that the iPhone 5c would be released at a lower price but Kuo proved himself to be more in the know.
Beginning this weekend, Target will begin offering the iPhone 5c for $50 with a new two-year service contract joining Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Walmart whom have already begun selling the 5c at this price.
iPhone 5s is sold out in a number of locations
Apple Stores around the country are flush with iPhone 5Cs in all colors while the iPhone 5s is sold out in a number of locations. For this reason, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has concentrating its marketing campaign on the iPhone 5c in order to ramp up sales.
The iPhone 5c is essentially the now-discontinued iPhone 5 on the inside but has a plastic back that is being offered in yellow, blue, green, pink, and white.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), as per usual, is not expected to break down the specific sales numbers of its individual iPhones when it reports its quarterly earnings later this month. Traditionally, the company has simply reported the aggregate sales of its iconic phone in all its iterations.
