Business · India Bureau
India smartphone market contracts sharply as price surge hits demand
Indian smartphone shipments plummeted to a seven-year low in the third quarter, with volumes falling 26 percent as elevated handset prices dampened consumer appetite. Samsung reclaimed the top position in the competitive market, while Apple saw shipments decline by a fifth.
LSN India ·
India's smartphone market contracted sharply in the third quarter, with shipments tumbling to 35.6 million units—marking the weakest performance since 2016, according to market data. The steep 26 percent decline underscores the headwinds facing the sector as manufacturers grapple with elevated device prices that have deterred purchasing across key consumer segments.
The price-driven slowdown has reshaped the competitive landscape, with Samsung emerging as the leading smartphone vendor in the quarter, displacing Vivo from the top spot. The leadership shift reflects shifting market dynamics as consumers become more price-conscious amid broader economic pressures.
Apple's performance mirrored broader market weakness, with the iPhone maker recording a 20 percent drop in shipment volumes during the quarter. The contraction suggests that even premium-segment demand has faced headwinds, as price increases ripple through the smartphone ecosystem.
Analysts attribute the downturn primarily to elevated handset costs, which have compressed demand particularly among price-sensitive Indian consumers. The market slowdown raises questions about recovery prospects as manufacturers face persistent inflationary pressures on component and production costs.