Apple Inc, succumbing to competition brought by domestic player Xiaomi Inc, has finally released a low-cost smartphone iPhone 5c exclusive to China.

But will it be able to finally topple Xiaomi in its own bailiwick? Apparently not, judging from the reactions of Chinese netizens who immediately scrutinised the new iPhone 5c.

"I feel cheated!" one Weibo user wrote. "The 'c' in iPhone 5c is supposed to mean 'cheap,' but now that they've announced the price, I can see that it actually isn't that much cheaper at all!"

"All that's really different about the iPhone 5c is its plastic case [and colours]...and they're still selling this thing so expensively?" a Weibo user asked. "And now on the official Apple website they say they're going to stop selling the [regular] iPhone 5?"

Even netizens from other parts of the world blasted the newly-launched iPhone 5c.

"@w0shiGD: but abit lame ah. 5C is actually the same as a iPhone with a cheap china phone cover."

— ◇ Julia Nicolette ◇ (@julianicolette_) September 11, 2013

"... it's pretty expensive for something that looks like a potato peeler." - http://t.co/NjqBpAVp8z

— Bryan Rieger (@bryanrieger) September 11, 2013

HAHAHAHA. My dad thought iPhone 5c was iPhone 5 CHINA. xD

— ◆HAFIZ◆ (@HaFiZ10_) September 11, 2013

Maybe C for con? RT @knowsnothing: The "C" in iPhone 5C doesn't stand for cheap: $733 in China http://t.co/F0vKdbsl2g

— Peter Carney (@petercarney) September 11, 2013

"Previously we thought the 5C would be a lower-end phone to address emerging markets like China and India," analyst Gene Munster was quoted by Reuters.

Coming in five different colors of blue, green, pink, yellow and white, iPhone 5C will be sold at 4,488 yuan ($733) in China. Apparent, Apple "still plays in the higher end of the market," Mr Munster said.

"At this price, Apple won't be targeting cost-conscious consumers in China," Nicole Peng analyst for telecom research firm Canalys, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal.

Suffice to say, Apple Inc, and though how cute the iPhone 5c may be, won't be able to fully penetrate China.

"Xiaomi phones are 1500 yuan. They're cheap and they have about the same hardware as more expensive Samsung phones," according to electronics shop owner Ma Tao.

"If the inside is the same, but [the phone is] 1,000 yuan cheaper, people will choose it," the Wall Street Journal quoted him as saying.

Just last week, Xiaomi released its newest phone, priced at 1999 yuan, less than half the cost of the iPhone 5C.