Chinese vendors grew 180% in Q1, CY 2017: CMR

According to the new report by CMR, the revenues of Chinese vendors grew 180 percent in Q1, CY 2017 as against the same quarter last year. While in volume terms, these vendors captured 40 percent of the market during the quarter and in value terms, about 49 percent of the market was invaded.

It added that about 57 million mobile handsets were sold (shipped) in India, recording a fall of about 11 percent over Q4' CY 2016 and the market saw an aggressive war between Love (Lenovo, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi) and Milk (Micromax, Intex, Lava and Karbonn) brands, big fours of Chinese and Indian brands.

In terms of revenues, the ranking of some of the players is undergoing a change. In 1Q' CY 2016, Samsung, Apple, Micromax, Lenovo, and Intex were the top five players with 35.2 percent, 9.7 percent, 8.3 percent and 6.5 percent market shares, respectively. But as of Q1 2017, the list got changed as follows: Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, and Apple becoming the top five players with 29 percent, 11.7 percent, 11.5 percent, 10.6 percent, and 8.8 percent market shares respectively.

According to Krishna Mukherjee, Telecom Analyst with CMR, "In the smartphone arena, the Chinese brands have already kicked out domestic players from the top five list and in the near future, we will see Chinese players wiping out the Indian brands from the top five chart of overall mobile handset segment too. We can't deny the fact that in the next quarter we may see that happening. For the first time in 33 quarters that might happen. Since 2009, brands like Micromax and Intex have shown their presence in the top five list."

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It also pointed out that at present, there are about 151 OEMs and Samsung India Electronics topped the list during Q1, CY 2017 with 29% share, followed by Rising Stars and Shenzhen Tecno with 8.08 percent and 7.53 percent shares, respectively.

However, in the smartphone space, the number third rank is bagged by Vivo Mobile India followed by GDN Enterprises.

According to Narinder Kumar, Telecom Analyst with CMR, "Market consolidation in the number of overall brands operating in India took a temporary pause in 1Q' CY 2017. It witnessed the decline in a number of OEMs which was to the tune of 20 percent for Indian OEMs as well as Foreign OEMs. Shipments from Foreign OEMs declined sequentially by 40 percent in 1Q' CY 2017. In the future, we will further see consolidation in a number of OEMs for Indian mobile handset market. Contract manufacturers in India like Rising Stars and GDN Enterprises will see growth in the coming quarters."