Indian smartphone market grew 5% in Q2: CMR report

During H2, there will be even more increased competition among smartphone brands in India.

Samsung closed the gap with the smartphone market leader Xiaomi with its new Galaxy A and Galaxy M series. (REUTERS)

Six out of every seven smartphones sold in India belonged to top five smartphone brands - Xiaomi, Samsung, Vivo, Realme, and OPPO - as the smartphone market grew five per cent in the second quarter (Q2) of 2019, a new report by CyberMedia Research (CMR) said on Monday.

"As the smartphone market consolidates further amongst the top five brands, the potential market play for others has significantly decreased. To succeed in the Indian smartphone market, an India-centric approach, and strong thrust on technological innovation and value proposition remains key," Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, said in a statement.

During the quarter, Samsung closed the gap with the smartphone market leader Xiaomi on the back of its India-first strategy and a strong portfolio refresh, with Galaxy A and M series.

"The India smartphone market is increasingly driven by affordable smartphones ( ₹7,000- ₹25,000). Smartphone brands are focused on driving consumer upgrades from entry-level buyers to affordable and premium segment ( ₹25,000) with interesting new propositions," added Ram.

China-based BBK group, the parent company of OPPO, Vivo, Realme, and OnePlus, also pulled alongside Xiaomi capturing a combined 30% share.

"Realme, the youngest brand in the Indian smartphone market, with its focus on technological innovations, and market leading specs, as well as aggressive market pricing, was the fastest to secure 8 per cent market share," said Anand Priya Singh, Analyst-IIG, CMR.

"H2 2019 will see increased competition amongst smartphone brands, leading upto the festive period. Smartphone brands, including Samsung and Realme, will likely build up on their market success, and gain further grounds," noted Ram.

Meanwhile, the feature phone market in India declined sharply by around 27% YoY, on the back of lower demand for JioPhone.

Jio saw a 56% annual drop in shipments, in comparison to Q2 2018. Samsung, Lava and itel registered a positive growth during Q2 2019. Nokia had a YoY drop of 21% in shipments. The top five feature phone brands contributed 78% of the shipments.