Smartphone Shipments

India's 4G smartphone market is showing signs of recovery in 2026, with shipments set to grow three per cent year-on-year, staging quite a comeback from a 48 per cent drop suffered in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. Its share in the overall market is seen rising from 11 per cent in 2025 to 13 per cent in 2026 and an estimated 15 per cent in 2027, as pricier component costs have widened the price gap between 4G and 5G devices, making 5G smartphones more expensive for consumers. The result: consumers in the entry (sub Rs 10,000) and budget (Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000) segments are turning to 4G devices for better specifications and value at a lower price. "4G smartphone shipments in India are expected to grow 3 per cent YoY in 2026 despite a decline in the overall market, with 4G share rising to 13 per cent in 2026 from 11 per cent in 2025," Counterpoint said in a release. At the same time, the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are expanding their 4G portfolios into the Rs .

Counterpoint says premium smartphones accounting for a record 29 per cent of global sales in the first half of 2026 with Apple and Samsung capturing 84 per cent of global premium smartphone market

Supply-side cost pressures and weak demand took a toll on India's smartphone shipments, which fell 3 per cent year-on-year in Q1 2026, suffering its weakest quarter in the last six years, according to Counterpoint Research's Monthly India Smartphone Tracker. On the outlook, Research Director Tarun Pathak said India's smartphone market is expected to remain under pressure in the near term, with Q2 2026 likely to see a double-digit decline, as elevated memory prices and weak entry-level demand continue to weigh on overall volumes. "For the full year, the market is projected to decline by 10 per cent YoY, as sustained component cost inflation, particularly in memory, which has already increased 4x over the past three quarters, continues to impact affordability and lengthen replacement cycles," Pathak said. Brands, he observed, are expected to stay disciplined, focusing on premium-led growth, tighter portfolio execution and channel efficiency. While premium segment should remain ...

With smartphones, Chinese brands like Honor Device Co. and Oppo are seen as more vulnerable because of their lower margins

This slowdown comes on the back of slow growth in Q4CY24. The fourth quarter of CY2024 saw a dip of 3 per cent, with shipments of 36 million units

India's smartphone shipments fell two per cent year-on-year in June quarter, hurt by the heatwave and slower demand, as per a report by global research firm Counterpoint that showed Xiaomi reclaimed top spot in volume share and Samsung led in value terms. Notably, 5G smartphones captured their highest-ever share of 77 per cent in the overall shipments, according to Counterpoint's Monthly India Smartphone Tracker. Another key takeaway was that India's smartphone market hit its highest ever Q2 value, driven by the ongoing trend of premiumisation. "India's smartphone shipments fell 2 per cent YoY in Q2 2024 (April-June)," it said. The decline was influenced by a heatwave, a seasonal slump, and slower demand from Q1 2024. "In response, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) hosted sales events in Q2 to clear inventory, leading to a reduced sell-in and a period of degrowth," it said. On the market's volume dynamics, Senior Research Analyst Shilpi Jain explained that heatwave conditio

A Canalys report found that four out of India's top five highest smartphones shipments came from Chinese brands - Xiaomi, vivo, realme, and OPPO. Korea's Samsung ranked third

5G connectivity and replacement demands were the main factors behind majority of the sales; market share of general trade increased by 35-40%, compared to about 32% last year

In 2021, shipments went up substantially to 166 million only to drop again in 2022

Apple's iPhone 13 and OnePlus' Nord CE3 Lite were the highest-shipped 5G models in the quarter ended June 30

Smartphone shipments increased 18 per cent sequentially as inventory levels improved due to a moderately favourable business environment

The report suggested that while there are no job cuts yet, it could be a possibility, given the shipments do not pick up

Some niche categories may continue to perform well despite overall weakness

Samsung reclaimed its pole position and shipped 60.3 million units, driven by a refreshed product portfolio

This was the highest ever Q1 decline seen by the country's smartphone market

India's smartphone shipments dipped to about 31 milion units in the January-March quarter, thereby recording the steepest fall of 19 per cent in the first quarter on year-over-year basis, market research firm Counterpoint said on Thursday. Mobile phones priced below Rs 30,000 apiece recorded a sharp decline while shipment in the premium and ultra premium category registered 60-66 per cent increase. "This was the highest ever Q1 decline seen by India's smartphone market, besides being the third consecutive quarterly decline. Sluggish demand, high inventory build-up carried over from 2022, growing consumer preference for refurbished phones and pessimistic channel view of the market contributed to this decline," Counterpoint's market monitor service report said. 5G smartphones's contribution to total smartphone shipments reached a record of 43 per cent. "With a 20 per cent share, Samsung led the Indian smartphone market for the second consecutive quarter. It was also the top 5G brand,

Several smartphone companies offered online-exclusive deals and discounts helping the e-commerce companies to sell more

Samsung took the number one spot in the fourth quarter (Q4) for the first time since Q3 2017, shipping 6.7 million units for a market share of 21 per cent

The major drop in shipments were recorded in the fourth-quarter (CYQ4, 2022), falling by 27 per cent to 32.4 million units

The global smartphone shipments fell by 17 per cent (year on year) in Q4 2022, with entire 2022 shipments declining by 11 per cent to fewer than 1.2 billion, a new report has shown