Samsung and Xiaomi smartphones dominate the Indian handset market with an ownership share of 18.4 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively, according to the latest Smartphone Buyer Insights Survey, April 2023, published by 91Mobiles, India’s number one gadget discovery site.
The survey makes a year-on-year comparison of mobile phone ownership for 12 months, comparing the April 2023 data with the corresponding month (April 2022) in the previous year.
91Mobiles announced the pan-India survey on April 23, 2023 and revealed that Samsung, Motorola, Vivo, Infinix, POCO, OPPO, Tecno, iQOO and Xiaomi have increased their ownership by a small margin during the year. The survey was live for 20 days, revealing some interesting statistics about the smart phone industry.
Apple and OnePlus declined in ownership share by small percentages to 11.1 percent and 6 percent from the earlier 14.3 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively. Other than Apple, Realme, Nokia and Asus also dropped marginally in terms of ownership during the period.
“In a digitalised world services related to daily life chores and banking can be availed in a click. Hence, smartphones play a critical role in empowering people by allowing them to use services and financial products promptly. And it is important for a country like India. That said, India remains a key market for all mobile phone brands. The survey outcome highlights that the Indian smartphone market is a matured market and ready to offer more to its consumers,” said Nitin Mathur, co-founder & COO of 91mobiles.
The survey added that Apple is the most preferred brand today, with the highest number of users saying they want to migrate to the brand when they upgrade next. When asked about the preferred brand for their next smartphone purchase, around 20.3 percent of the survey respondents said they will buy iPhones. Samsung phones followed iPhones, with 18.8 percent of the survey respondents saying they want to upgrade to this brand when they upgrade next.
Consumer preferences while buying a new phone
The 91Mobiles survey has revealed some interesting consumer trends regarding their choices while purchasing handsets. The survey revealed that people are holding on to their phones longer, with over 60 percent adding that they change their phones only after two years. Approximately 50 percent of the respondents do it just for an upgrade, it added.
About 42 percent of buyers consider performance and speed as the most important factors for selecting a smartphone brand. Camera quality and brand name are the other prominent specifications buyers look at. Battery life, design & looks, and screen display are secondary factors when buying a phone.
In terms of pricing, a significant 40 percent of users own smartphones priced between ₹10,000 and ₹40,000. About 33 percent of users own smartphones below ₹10,000, indicating that India remains a price-sensitive market and smartphone makers have to offer a mix of premium, mid-range and affordable handsets.
The survey revealed that people usually research more on smartphones and refer to sites like 91mobiles and MySmartPrice when deciding to buy a new phone.
Apple iPhone 15 series followed by Samsung Galaxy S23 FE are the two most sought-after upcoming premium handsets, the survey said. In the budget/mid-range phones, OnePlus Nord CE 3 and Samsung Galaxy M54 are the two devices people are most excited about.
It is likely that the sale of smartphones will see a spike in 2023. Over 70 percent of people do not own 5G smartphones. Almost an equal number of buyers have shown their willingness to buy a new phone this year.
“With the supply chain disruptions getting resolved, smartphone manufacturers have been able to increase the supply of new handsets. Moreover, in the post-Covid pandemic era, people now look at specifications such as processor speed, performance, camera quality and connectivity. While the country remains a price-sensitive market consumers are often willing to spend more if they perceive that they are getting a better quality gadget against what they already own,” said Bharanidharan Viswanathan, co-founder & CEO of 91mobiles..