Malik Saadi, of analysts Informa, said the new devices were "mainly addressed at new audiences with the aim of extending the market opportunities of the iPhone beyond the high-end segment of the market." He added, however, that Apple had much to prove with the new devices, as its appeal has come under pressure in important new markets, despite a slight recovery in Western market share. "The timing of this launch is crucial as the industry is getting close to the end of the third financial quarter and the iPhone's performance during this period has been largely below expectations, particularly in China where the growth rate is falling rapidly," he said. It is becoming obvious that Apple can no longer afford to address the whole world as a single market for its iPhone. Retailers greeted the diversification strategy positively, however. Scott Hooton, Chief Commercial Officer at Phones 4u, said "We're expecting some very happy customers after today's Apple announcement that a more affordable version of the new iPhone, the iPhone 5c, will be available alongside the iPhone 5s. He added that overall, demand for the latest iPhone is at an all-time high with a 76 per cent increase in the number of customers interested in purchasing the new device, since the launch of the iPhone 5 last year. The iPhone 5S will sell from £549, with Apple claiming it would offer similar battery performance to the existing model, despite a significantnly improved processor which it claims is unique in the world of mobile phones and will unleash a new wave of more powerful app. Its App Store and Google's rival Play Store now contain approximately the same number of apps, and Apple is thought to be keen to regain its lead. Google also claims it is approaching 1billion active devices, while Apple has said only that it has sold 700m iOS units. Although the 5C will officially retail for £469, just £80 less than the 5S, it will present a new opportunity for retailers and a new challenge for Apple, whose brand is notoriously closely guarded Meanwhile, theuse of the fingerprint sensor in the 5S could be adopted by other retailers, but some commentators expressed scepticism that it may become like Apple's "voice assistant" Siri, which is largely regarded as a gimmick. Improvements in the service, however, mean it is gaining in popularity. Fingerprint sensors have previously been introduced in other devices, such as those made by Motorola, to limited success.