Apple launched an 8GB version of its iPhone 5c device in some markets, offering a lower-cost path to ownership of the latest iPhones.

The new smartphone is priced at £429 in the UK and €549 in Germany, compared with £469/€599 for the 16GB version. According to reports, it is also available in France, Australia and, perhaps most significantly, China.

Apple is also still selling an 8GB version of the earlier iPhone 4S, which costs £349 (€399 in Germany).

There have previously been reports that sales of the iPhone 5c, which offers a slightly lower spec than the iPhone 5s, and which is available in a range of colours, have been lacklustre.

While it was expected that the iPhone 5c would be the low-cost iPhone, in fact it is only slightly cheaper than the iPhone 5s – and €599 is still a significant amount to spend on a smartphone.

But the 8GB device is still hardly wallet-friendly, and it is not clear how many potential iPhone 5c customers were put off by €50 – less than 10 per cent of the price of the 16GB smartphone.

iPad 4 returns at entry-level

Apple also announced the return of its fourth-generation iPad as the “most affordable 9.7-inch iPad”, priced at $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model, and $529 for Wi-Fi and cellular.

The retina-screened tablet replaces the iPad 2 as the entry-level to the line, and also marks the end for Apple’s previous-generation connectors – the iPad 4 uses the same Lightning port as its siblings.

Philip Schiller, senior VP of Worldwide Marketing for Apple, said: “Now for $399 customers can get iPad with a stunning 9.7-inch Retina display, fast A6X chip, and 5MP iSight camera, offering a dramatic upgrade in power, performance and value compared to the iPad 2 it replaces.”