From The Economic Times · ET Bureau · · 1m 10s
India smartphone shipments drop to decade low
India's smartphone market shrinks 26% as prices and weak demand hit sales.
In brief
India's smartphone market shrinks 26% as prices and weak demand hit sales. India's smartphone shipments fell 26% year-on-year to 35.8 million units in Q3 2026, the lowest in a decade. Originally reported by The Economic Times.
India smartphone shipments fall
India's smartphone market shipments fell 26% year-on-year to 35.8 million units in Q3 2026, the industry's lowest in a decade.
Price pressures drive decline
Higher prices from memory chip shortages reduced online sales momentum and shifted growth to selective channel-driven demand.
Chinese brands lose market share
Chinese smartphone brands saw combined market share drop to 68% in Q3 2026 from 75% in Q3 2025.
Samsung and Apple strengthen positions
Samsung shipped 6.7 million units and Apple entered top five with 3.9 million units in Q3 2026.
Vivo and other brands decline
Vivo dropped 34% year-on-year to second place as price hikes and weak entry-level models hurt competitiveness.
Market expected to decline further
Omdia predicts India's smartphone market will drop further in 2027 due to pricing pressures and longer device lifecycles.
The takeaway
India's smartphone shipments fell 26% year-on-year to 35.8 million units in Q3 2026, the lowest in a decade.
