1 month ago
India's Smartphone Market Faces Worst June Quarter in Six Years
India's smartphone market had its worst June quarter in six years.
Smartphone shipments dropped by 10% compared to the same period last year.
This happened because the prices of smartphones went up by about 15% due to higher costs of parts like memory.
People are also spending less money on non-essential items because of inflation.
The cheapest smartphones, costing less than ₹15,000, were hit the hardest, with sales dropping by 45%.
Chinese brands, which sell many of these cheaper phones, saw their market share shrink.
However, very expensive smartphones costing more than ₹45,000 did well because people could pay for them in installments.
Vivo was the top brand, followed by Samsung, OPPO, Xiaomi, and realme.
Apple's sales fell by 3%, but a new brand called Nothing grew very fast, with sales increasing by 105%.
Experts think the market will stay weak for the rest of the year because part prices are still high.
India's smartphone market saw a 10% YoY decline in shipments during the April-June quarter of 2026.
Rising smartphone prices, driven by high memory costs and inflation, reduced consumer demand.
The sub-₹15,000 segment experienced a 45% YoY decline, with Chinese brands losing market share.
Premium smartphones (above ₹45,000) remained resilient due to financing schemes like EMIs.
Vivo led the market with an 18% share, followed by Samsung, OPPO, Xiaomi, and realme.
- Who
- Indian smartphone market, including brands like vivo, Samsung, OPPO, Xiaomi, realme, and Apple
- What
- A significant decline in smartphone shipments due to rising prices and economic pressures
- Where
- India
- When
- April-June quarter of 2026
- Why
- Rising smartphone prices driven by high memory costs, inflation, and weak consumer demand
Market Slowdown Factors
Resilient Segments
Price Increases and Economic Pressures
Market Slowdown Factors
Rising smartphone prices due to high memory costs and inflation have reduced consumer demand and extended replacement cycles.
Resilient Segments
Premium smartphones (above ₹45,000) remain resilient due to financing schemes like EMIs.
Segment Performance
Market Slowdown Factors
The sub-₹15,000 segment saw a 45% YoY decline, with Chinese brands losing market share.
Resilient Segments
The ultra-premium segment continued to perform well, driven by strong demand for high-end models.
Key facts
- Quarterly Decline
- 10% YoY decline in smartphone shipments
- Average Price Increase
- 15% increase by the end of the June quarter
- Sub-₹15,000 Segment Decline
- 45% YoY decline
- Premium Segment Performance
- Resilient with financing schemes like EMIs
- Market Share Leaders
- vivo (18%), Samsung (17%), OPPO (14%), Xiaomi (13%), realme
- Fastest-Growing Brand
- Nothing, with 105% YoY shipment growth
- Apple's Market Share
- 7% with supply constraints and inventory shortages
Quotes
Tarun Pathak
Research Director at Counterpoint Research
“We expect India’s smartphone market to remain under pressure through the rest of the year, as elevated memory and component costs continue to keep device prices high. Smartphone memory prices have increased nearly 4x since September 2025 and are expected to rise further, potentially reaching 5x in the coming months. As a result, we expect the market to decline by 13% YoY for the full year.”
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