India’s smartphone shipments collapsed to a decade low during Q3 2026
During Q3, 2026, Samsung became the top smartphone brand in India, followed by Vivo and Oppo
India's smartphone shipments plummeted to a decade low in Q3 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. The steep decline, down 20% year-over-year, was primarily driven by soaring memory prices that inflated smartphone costs and dampened demand, prompting Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to reduce inventories. The July-September period witnessed a significant drop in sub-₹15,000 and sub-₹20,000 shipments by 47%, as higher model prices pushed devices into higher price brackets.
Samsung emerged as the leading smartphone brand in India for the first time since nine quarters ago, capturing a 17% share, thanks to the popularity of the Galaxy A series. Vivo followed closely with a 16% share, driven by its Y series, while Oppo held a 12% market share. Xiaomi and Apple's iPhone 18 Pro series rounded out the top five, with a 12% and 10% share, respectively.
Notably, Apple's iPhone 17 lineup maintained demand despite pricing adjustments. Google's market share surged over 50% YoY, while MediaTek dominated the chipset market with a 45% share. The industry anticipates a 13% market shrinkage in 2026 due to persistent pricing pressure and potential further price hikes following the festive season sales.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
