iPhone 5s claims UK Christmas number one

Apple's gold-coloured iPhone 5s was the most popular smartphone for Christmas, beating Samsung's flagship Galaxy S4 for a third consecutive month.wheel balancerAccording to the December uSwitch.com Mobile Tracker – which is based on live searches, pre-orders and sales – Apple and Samsung were head-to-head in the race to be Christmas number one, but the iPhone 5S pipped Samsung’s Galaxy S4 to the post.Samsung's previous-generation Galaxy S3 turned out to be December’s biggest climber, rising five places to become the UK’s third most popular mobile phone for the festive period. The S3 was also the cheapest smartphone in the chart last month, with deals starting from ￡15 per month with a free phone.However, Apple phones have topped the chart since March 2013, with the iPhone 5 claiming the title of Britain’s most popular phone for seven months running, before the release of the 5S knocked it off the top spot.Apple’s iPhone 5c, with its lurid plastic casing, was the fifth most popular phone in December, despite only being ￡8 per month cheaper than the 5s. Meanwhile, the iPhone 4 dropped out of the chart altogether.Although the December chart was dominated by Apple and Samsung – which claimed eight out of the ten top spots – the HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z1 represented other phone-makers, claiming seventh and ninth places respectively.

“The iPhone 5S deserved to be the Christmas number one. As well as giving gleeful members of the cult of Apple hours of fun with its Touch ID feature, which can read more than just fingerprints, it also made gold the new black," said Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com.pp resin“But it was by no means an easy steal. There was plenty of movement in the run up to Christmas, with the Samsung Galaxy S3 being a surprise climber throughout December. It goes to show that a smartphone with robust specs can outsell newer gadgetry if the price is right."A separate report by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech in December revealed that the popularity of Apple's iPhone 5s far exceeds that of the iPhone 5c,Banner Penwith three times as many people opting for the high-end model.However, the iPhone 5c appeals to a broader audience than Apple usually attracts, and has encouraged new customers to try the brand for the first time.