A new study by Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service states that 4G-ready smartphone shipments in India grew by a whopping 2400% to 10 million units in Q3 of 2015. The July to September period also saw the surprising fall of Xiaomi, which has declined for the 1st time in the country.
Smartphone shipments rose by 20% annually, with more than 1 in 3 handsets in India being one. Online sales made during Q3 2015 through sites like Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon contributed to this trend significantly. Furthermore, 1 in 3 phones were 4G-enabled and 1 in 4 had been Made in India.
Samsung has managed to hold on to its peak position in the nation, with a 19% share in the overall mobile device market and a 23.2% share of the smartphone one. Counterpoint claims the brand’s mid-range Galaxy J5 and J7 series have been vital for the company, as it has lost shares sequentially due to a minor presence in the fastest-growing sub-$100 (approx Rs 6500) segment.
Xiaomi is nowhere to be seen in the top 5 as its shipments have fallen by nearly 46%. Counterpoint thinks the huge loss is because of brutal competition in the online space from brands such as Lenovo and Micromax’s Yu. The latter is selling more smartphones than Xiaomi online, supported by the launch of its entry-level 4G offering Yunique.
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Micromax is in 2nd place in the smartphone shipment rankings, followed by Intex. Lava beat out Microsoft for the 1st time in overall handset numbers, the tech giant having faced a decline in Lumia sales. The K3 Note was the best-selling phone in the quarter, helping the brand (including Motorola) climb to 4th rank. Lenovo additionally crossed the 2 million landmark in India for the 1st time.
Apple has achieved a similar record, finishing its fiscal year in India by vending 1.7 million units due to strong sales of the iPhone 6 series. While the brand’s market share stands at 1%, Counterpoint says it’s come out ahead in terms of revenue with a 9% share boosting it to 3rd position.