Samsung Loses Ground to Vivo and OPPO as Indian Smartphone Market Grows for Fifth Consecutive Quarter: Report

Samsung's performance in India has seen a decline. Once the leader in the smartphone market, Samsung now ranks third, as per an IDC report for Q3 2023. Vivo leads with a 15.8% market share and 20% growth, followed by Oppo at 13.9%, which saw a significant 47.6% increase compared to the same period last year.

Samsung's market share stands at 12.3%, marking a decrease of 19.7%. This is the second-largest drop among the top ten brands, surpassed only by OnePlus, which experienced a 39.3% decline and ranks tenth. Realme holds fourth place with an 11.5% share, experiencing a similar drop of 19.4%.

Indian Smartphone Market Growth

The Indian smartphone market expanded for the fifth consecutive quarter in Q3, reaching 46 million units, representing a year-over-year growth of 5.6%. Of these, 38 million were equipped with 5G capabilities. The average selling price rose to $258, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 0.9% and a quarterly rise of 3.8%.

Xiaomi's market share remains nearly unchanged at 11.4%, with shipments growing by just 2.7%. Apple achieved its highest quarterly shipment in India with a growth of 58.5%, capturing an 8.6% market share and shipping four million units.

Performance of Other Brands

Poco experienced modest growth of 6.5%, securing a market share of 5.8%. Motorola demonstrated remarkable growth at 149.5%, climbing to eighth place with a market share of 5.7%. Similarly impressive was iQOO's performance, growing by 101.4% compared to Q3 last year, now holding a market share of 4.2%.

The $600-$800 segment witnessed the most substantial growth at 86%, now accounting for four percent of the total market compared to two percent last year. Apple dominates this segment with a commanding share of 71%, while Samsung's presence has decreased to nineteen percent from thirty percent last year.

Market Dynamics and Brand Grouping

Questions arise regarding why sub-brands like iQOO aren't grouped with their parent companies like Vivo or why Poco isn't counted with Xiaomi when Redmi seems to be included under Xiaomi's umbrella. If these sub-brands were combined with their parent companies, Oppo would lead the market with twenty-nine percent, followed by Vivo at twenty percent, pushing Samsung further down.

In the $200-$400 segment, Oppo gained significant ground while both Samsung and Vivo lost shares; together they account for fifty-three percent of this segment's market share. The dynamics within India's smartphone industry continue to evolve rapidly as brands vie for dominance in various segments and price ranges.

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