India's smartphone shipments grew by 25 per cent YoY in Oct-Dec 2023, led by Xiaomi, Vivo

According to a report by market research firm Counterpoint, smartphone shipments in India experienced a significant 25 per cent year-on-year growth in the October-December period of 2023. Xiaomi secured the top position in the quarter, capturing 18 per cent of the market share, propelled by its entry into the affordable 5G segment with the Redmi 13C. Vivo maintained its second spot, while Samsung slipped to third after leading the market for four consecutive quarters. Realme and Oppo claimed the fourth and fifth positions, respectively. The report highlighted the role of 5G smartphones, contributing to 61 per cent of the total shipments in the quarter. Affordable 5G phones in the Rs. 10,000 - Rs. 15,000 price range made up 24 per cent of the total smartphone shipments. The premium smartphone segment saw a 51 per cent growth, with Apple leading the segment with a 17 per cent market share due to the launch of the iPhone 15 series. In the brand-wise breakdown, Xiaomi led with 18 per cent of the market share, followed by Vivo with 17 per cent, Samsung with 16.8 per cent, Realme with 11 per cent, and Oppo with 10 per cent. Despite a strong quarter, the overall smartphone shipment landscape in India for 2023 remained flat at 152 million units, according to another Counterpoint report. The firm attributed this to challenges arising from macroeconomic turbulence, resulting in low demand and inventory build-up in the first half of the year. However, the market showed signs of recovery in the second half, driven by 5G upgrades and better-than-expected festive sales. For the entire year, Samsung secured the top position with an 18 per cent market share, marking the first time the South Korean company led a calendar year since 2017. Vivo retained the second spot with a 17 per cent share, followed by Xiaomi, Realme, and Oppo with 16.5 per cent, 12 per cent, and 10.5 per cent of the market share, respectively. While Apple did not rank in the top five in shipments, it surpassed ten million units in revenue for the first time in a calendar year. (With inputs from agencies)