From The Economic Times · Yogada Sharma · · 1m 10s
India's Smartphone Brands Face Festive Season Pressure
Rising memory costs force Indian smartphone brands to raise prices, cutting festive discounts.
In brief
Rising memory costs force Indian smartphone brands to raise prices, cutting festive discounts. India's smartphone brands face 10% lower sales this festive season due to memory cost hikes and reduced discounts. Originally reported by The Economic Times.
Festive Season Shift
Consumers traditionally timed smartphone purchases to festive discounts.
Memory Costs Surge
Memory prices rose 13-18% in q3 2026 compared with 93-98% in q1.
Global Market Decline
Global smartphone sales dropped 7.4% year-on-year in q2 2026.
Industry Impact
India's smartphone market fell 11% year-on-year in q2 2026.
Price Hikes Across Brands
Realme, Oppo, Vivo, Samsung and OnePlus raised prices by rs 1,000-4,000.
Apple Price Increases
Apple raised base iphone 17 price from rs 82,900 to rs 99,900.
Margin Pressure
Memory costs now exceed 65% of bill of materials for low-end phones.
Financing Shift
42% of smartphone sales expected to use financing options this festive season.
Offline Sales Rise
Offline smartphone sales increased to 55-60% in june quarter.
Post-Festive Challenge
Memory costs may cause sharper market decline after festive season.
The essence
India's smartphone brands face 10% lower sales this festive season due to memory cost hikes and reduced discounts.
