October 14, 2013, 2:37 PM
Many have speculated about whether Apple's /quotes/zigman/68270 /quotes/nls/aapl AAPL new iPhone 5C is collecting dust on retailers' shelves, though some signs are emerging of demand for the new smartphone — which is essentially last year's iPhone 5 wrapped in plastic.
- Getty Images
- The iPhone 5C.
In a note to clients on Monday, Will Power of Robert W. Baird wrote that iPhone 5C inventory is "moving," though the device is still easy to find. Checks with retailers, he noted, found that "different stores have been running out of stock of a variety of SKUs, rather than just one or two stores always running out of stock of the same SKU." He added that at least some version of the device is in stock with nearly every story store his firm checked.
"This implies that while the iPhone 5C is easily found, its inventory is not sitting stagnant," he wrote. As of Monday afternoon, Apple's online store listed all versions of the 5C available to ship "within 24 hours."
Another interesting point came from a report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, a Chicago-based market research firm. On Monday, the firm said its research indicated that sales of the iPhone 5C accounted for 27% of all iPhone sales for the September quarter, with the iPhone 5S accounting for 64% of total iPhone sales in the period.
What was most notable about that report is the suggestion that the 5C may have helped expand Apple's sales in the $ 99 segment (which is the price the company charges for its previous-generation device with a two-year contract). In the same period last year, the iPhone 4S represented the same slot in Apple's portfolio, and represented about 23% of total iPhone sales with the then-new iPhone 5 accounting for 68% of total sales.
But even with a more popular 5C, the iPhone 5S remains hard to find. Power of Baird wrote that the device remains "supply constrained." Apple's online store notes a shipping time of "2-3 weeks" for all models of the iPhone 5S, which is essentially unchanged from previous notations promising to ship the device sometime in the month of October.
– Dan Gallagher
Follow The Tell @thetellblog
Follow Dan Gallagher @MWDanGallagher
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