According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung secured the top spot for smartphone shipments in India during the calendar year 2023. This marks a return for the Korean company after six years of dominance by Xiaomi, although Xiaomi’s independent Redmi and Poco brands maintained the lead in the Q4 period with an 18.3% market share.
Overall, total smartphone shipments remained steady in 2023, reaching about 152 million units. The first half of the year presented challenges for the industry, but the market saw a recovery in the second half, driven by 5G upgrades and strong festive sales. Additionally, Apple’s shipments in India surpassed 10 million for the first time.
Research Analyst Shubham Singh noted that Samsung’s success was attributed to aggressive offline marketing and the strong performance of its A series. Vivo claimed the second spot, leveraging its CMF (color, material, finish) design approach with the vivo V29 series and performing well in the offline segment with the T series.
In the last quarter of 2023, Xiaomi maintained its lead by launching affordable 5G phones and streamlining its product portfolio to avoid confusion among consumers.
The premium smartphone market in India experienced a 64% year-over-year growth, driven by financing options that made higher-priced smartphones more accessible. Apple’s increase in this segment was supported by its physical stores and retailers offering attractive deals and promotions.
Looking ahead to 2024, the market expects a demand for devices with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support, as well as phones with Generative AI. Additionally, foldable smartphones are predicted to exceed 1 million shipments in the coming year.
