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India Remains Key Smartphone Market Despite Rising Component Costs
Phone parts like memory and storage are becoming more expensive.
That can make smartphones cost more.
Leaders from three phone companies said people in India are still buying phones.
They described India as an important market that is growing quickly.
They also said buyers are paying more attention to how a phone feels to use, not just its technical numbers.
Xiaomi said its upcoming Xiaomi 18 Pro will use a new Snapdragon platform.
Motorola previewed a Signature 27 for 2026, and iQOO announced that its iQOO 16 is coming to India soon.
The companies shared these updates at an event in India.
Executives from Xiaomi, Motorola and iQOO described India as an important, fast-growing smartphone market.
They said demand remains resilient despite rising memory and storage costs pushing device prices higher.
Xiaomi’s Gautam Batra said consumers have adjusted to a longer-running trend of price increases.
Motorola’s Shivam Ranjan said Indian buyers increasingly value human-centered experiences over specifications alone.
Xiaomi, Motorola and iQOO outlined upcoming devices using newly announced Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms.
- Who
- Leaders from Xiaomi, Motorola and iQOO, including Gautam Batra, Shivam Ranjan and Nipun Marya.
- What
- The companies described India as a key smartphone market and discussed price pressures, changing consumer preferences and upcoming devices.
- Where
- At Yashobhoomi, during India Mobile Congress 2026.
- When
- The article was published October 10, 2026, during the 10th edition of India Mobile Congress 2026.
- Why
- The companies discussed India's continuing demand and evolving buyer preferences amid rising memory and storage costs.
Key facts
- Publication date
- October 10, 2026
- Event
- 10th edition of India Mobile Congress 2026
- Venue
- Yashobhoomi
- Market trend
- Executives said Indian smartphone demand remains resilient despite rising memory and storage costs.
- Xiaomi device
- Xiaomi 18 Pro, announced with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 for international and Indian channels.
- Motorola device
- Signature 27, scheduled for rollout in 2026 and described as an early model with Snapdragon 6 Elite Extreme Gen 6.
- iQOO device
- iQOO 16, announced as a forthcoming India launch with Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6.
Quotes
Shivam Ranjan
Marketing Head - APAC at Motorola
“I think the prices are going up for, whether it's RAM, whether it's storage, and in turn the devices prices are also going up. I think the market is now aware it's been a long trend. It's not just a recent thing; it has been ongoing, and the market has now recalibrated according to it, and we see a good demand coming in even now”
thehindubusinessline.com
“I think India as a market has been constantly evolving over a period of time. We are seeing consumers becoming more mature, moving beyond just hard specifications or hardware specifications to now demanding experiences that are human centric and human first”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
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