NEW DELHI: India’s smartphone market declined 1% year-on-year to 38 million units in the first quarter of this year due to supply-constrained, according to Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor. The research also noted that the Chinese brands held a 74% share in Q1, FY22, Xiaomi leading the market with a 23% share, followed by Samsung, realme, vivo and OPPO, respectively.
“The component issues were a major reason for this fall and affected nearly all brands. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are adopting various strategies to tackle the supply issues such as expanding the supplier portfolio and increasing local sourcing. However, the market is expected to remain modest in Q2, 2022 as well due to supply disruptions arising from the COVID situation in China,” said Prachir Singh, Senior Research Analyst.
In terms of market share, Xiaomi retained the top position in Q1FY22, though it declined 13% YoY. South Korean tech giant Samsung recaptured the second spot with a 1% YoY decline and realme is the only brand among the top five players to experience YoY growth (40%). Vivo remained at the fourth spot with an 8% YoY decline. Oppo has been consistent in its fifth position in the market but it declined 18% YoY. Apple grew 5% YoY and remained the top-selling brand in the premium segment (above Rs 30,000).
“Aggressive offers on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 series in the offline channel drove this growth. Apple has been aggressive in expanding its manufacturing capabilities in the country as well as increasing its offline reach,” reads the research.