The new iPhone built for China isn't popular in China

Apple's new, cheaper iPhone 5c was supposed to be the company's ticket into the world's largest smartphone market (China) and other emerging markets.

It doesn't look like China got the memo.

According to the Localytics, not only is China more interested in the more expensive iPhone 5s than the 5c by a wide margin, the iPhone 5s sales share is greater in China than any other market in the world after the first 72 hours of sales.

One reason for the 5s dominating market share? The iPhone 5c isn't all that cheap compared to the 5s. And, as Localytics points out, the gold phone was a major draw in the Asian market and that version was only available in the 5s. It's important to note, of course, that the data is only for the first three days of sales so sales of the 5c could pick up.

Globally, 78 percent of sales of the new iPhones have been of the 5s model.

Either way, Apple is expected to double its market share in China between this year and next year. But that will have more to do with its expected deal with China Mobile than cheaper phones.

Samsung led China's smartphone market last quarter with a 18.3 percent share. Apple was in sixth place with a 5 percent share.

Chart: Localytics

Photo: Flickr/LJR.MIKE

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com