Report: Apple’s Involvement Boosts Popularity of High-End Smartphones in India

India’s smartphone shipments remained flat at 152 million units in 2023 as Apple crossed the 10 million unit mark in shipments and topped the calendar year’s revenue for the first time, a new report released on Wednesday showed.

According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung rose to the top with its 18 percent share last year for the first time since 2017.

Vivo ranked second in 2023 with a 17 percent share and topped the affordable premium segment (Rs. 30,000-45,000) with a 33 percent share.

Xiaomi fell to third place in 2023, but led in the last quarter of 2023 with a share of 18.3%.

OnePlus grew 33 percent year-on-year in 2023 due to offline expansion and better product mix in the affordable premium segment (Rs 30,000-45,000).

The share of 5G smartphone shipments in India exceeded 52 percent and grew by 66 percent year-on-year.

“Driven by growth in the premium segment and 5G upgrades, India’s smartphone market grew by 25 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 after a decline in 2023,” said Shilpi Jain, senior research analyst.

The last quarter (October-December) left the market with a good inventory level compared to last year, which set the right tone for next year’s growth.

“We believe the market will grow by 5 percent year-on-year next year on the back of higher premiums, 5G penetration at lower price points and better macroeconomic conditions,” Jain added.

The premium segment grew by 64 percent year-on-year, driven by easy financing arrangements that led to consumers jumping the price bracket to buy more expensive smartphones.

“For Apple, the opening of its own retail stores and increasing focus on LFR (large-format retail) through regular promotions boosted offline shipments. Additionally, higher trade-in values offered a compelling proposition for consumers to switch to iOS,” said research analyst Shubham Singh.