Dubaiuncovered

Apple has seen its shipments in India reach a new high in the third quarter of 2023, with over 2.5 million units sold. According to research analyst Shubham Singh, this marks the best quarter for Apple in the country. Singh attributes this success to the growing trend of premiumization in the smartphone market and Apple’s ability to capitalize on it through their devices and financing offers.

Meanwhile, India’s overall smartphone shipments remained flat during the same period. However, there are signs of recovery as consumer demand gradually picks up, especially with the upcoming festive season. Senior research analyst Shilpi Jain notes that affordable smartphones are now featuring key features such as 5G and higher RAM (8GB), and many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are offering attractive financing schemes in partnership with financial institutions.

Samsung continues to maintain its leading position in the market, holding a 17.2% share for the fourth consecutive quarter. This success can be attributed to the popularity of Samsung’s A and M series. Xiaomi closely follows with a 16.6% market share, driven by strong demand for the Redmi 12 series and an expansion into offline sales. Xiaomi is capitalizing on the budget segment by providing 5G technology, as evidenced by the overwhelming response to its latest Redmi 12 5G series.

Vivo retains its third spot but is the fastest-growing brand among the top five, experiencing 11% year-on-year growth. The brand’s strong offline presence and focused approach to Colour, Material, and Finish (CMF), along with its sub-brand IQOO targeting the mid-premium segment, are driving demand.

In the affordable premium segment (Rs 30,000-Rs 45,000), OnePlus emerges as the top brand with a 29% share, thanks to strong sales of the OnePlus 11R.

Finally, the report highlights that 53% of smartphone shipments in Q3 were 5G-enabled, indicating the increasing adoption of this technology in the market.