Realme, once among the top-selling smartphone brands in India, is now grappling with shrinking market share. In an interaction with Rakesh Kumar of TNIE, Francis Wong, Chief Marketing Officer of Realme India, talks about the company’s strategy to expand beyond its online-first roots and strengthen its offline presence. Excerpts:
With Realme’s market share falling from 13% to 10% year-on-year in Q2 2025, what steps are you taking to regain ground?
We are not overly concerned about market share right now. Our priority is to ensure our product strategies meet the demands of both online and offline channels while maintaining healthy margins. Realme was largely perceived as an online brand, but to succeed in the long run, we need strength in both channels.
As Realme shifts more towards offline and achieves stable growth there, the next step is for our P series to fight back in our online stronghold. That’s why you saw aggressive pricing for the P4 series—it achieved 250% higher sales compared to the P3. Market share, we believe, will naturally follow once the channel strategy is executed right.
How is Realme planning growth across different price segments—budget, mid-range, mid-premium, and premium? Which segments are performing well?
We are already leading in the budget smartphone category and are among the top in the mid-range. Below ₹25,000, Realme continues to be a preferred choice for consumers. For smartphones priced above ₹25,000, we still need to strengthen both the brand and sales channels. Our Number Pro and GT series will be key here. Our immediate focus is on the ₹25,000–₹35,000 mid-premium segment, where we see strong growth potential.
Who is Realme’s core target audience in India today?
Realme is a youth-centric brand with a strong community base. Specifically, the P series is designed for college students, the Number series for early-career professionals, and the GT series for more mature working professionals.
How does Realme plan to strengthen its premium segment? Also, since every brand is pushing AI features, what unique approach is Realme taking?
The premium segment is heavily dependent on brand preference, which takes time to build. Our first priority is to continue innovating with the GT series, which has introduced several industry-first technologies, such as the Paper Design, the world’s fastest 320W charging, and the world’s brightest display.
By the end of this year, we will launch the GT 8 Pro, featuring a groundbreaking design that we believe will impress the industry.
The second priority is software. We recently extended our Software Update Policy for the Number and P series to 3 years of major updates and 4 years of security updates.
On AI, our strength lies in speed and differentiation. Features such as AI Schedule Planner, AI Edit Genie, and AI Gaming Couch were industry-firsts. The P4 series alone comes with 18 AI features in one device. While we may not have the largest AI R&D setup, we are the fastest in making AI accessible, focusing on three core areas: AI Gaming, AI Camera, and AI Efficiency.
With the festive season around the corner, what are your expectations? Do you see Realme boosting sales and regaining market share during this period?
We are investing over ₹600 crore in festive offers this Diwali. Our major launches are already out—the 15 series in July and the P series in August—giving us time to gather user feedback and build momentum. We are confident of strong festive sales.
Beyond numbers, we also want to connect emotionally with consumers. Our festive marketing theme is “real moments, real happiness,” celebrating family and togetherness during India’s most important festival season.
Is Realme focusing more on offline or online marketing? Which channel is performing better, and where do you see further expansion?
Our channel mix is now balanced. Earlier, it was 70% online and 30% offline. Over the past two years, we deliberately expanded offline, creating jobs and investments in the process. Today, our ratio stands at 50:50. The Number series is our offline hero, while the P series leads online. Both are equally important, and we aim to sustain this healthy balance while driving overall growth.
India is strongly promoting local manufacturing. What is Realme’s contribution, and do you plan to scale it up further?
Every smartphone we sell in India is already made in India—that has been our practice for years.
Now, even AIoT products like our earbuds are 100% Made in India. Over the past five years, we’ve built a strong local supply chain with manufacturers and suppliers, and we will continue strengthening it.