iPhone 5s outselling cheaper 5c by 2:1

Apple's iPhone 5c is being outsold by the flagship 5s model by a margin of 2-to-1 in the US, as the cheaper device struggles to gain traction in the market.

The iPhone 5s costs 529 SIM-free and is 80 ($100) more than the 5c. However, this hasn't stopped users opting for the high-end model which includes the Touch ID fingerprint scanner and 64-bit processor.

Some 64 per cent of those purchasing an iPhone in the US have opted for the iPhone 5s, compared to 27 per cent iPhone 5c, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.

The older iPhone 4s accounted for just under 10 per cent of sales in the US.

Apple has also been struggling in expanding markets such as China and India too. In China the smartphone is officially priced at 4448 Yuan ($726), but due to lack of demand devices have been sold by merchants for as little as 2600 Yuan ($425).

Daily production of the iPhone 5c handsets is said to have been halved to 150,000 units per day as a backlog of inventory starts to build.

Apple's refusal to sell the iPhone 5c at a heavily discounted price was seen as a missed opportunity by industry watchers. However, it was unsurprising as the firm has not wanted its products to be labelled as "budget".