Korean Media: Chinese Smartphone Brands Maintain Top Position in India!
On March 26, South Korean media outlet *Chosun Ilbo* published an article stating that India's smartphone market remained largely stable in 2025, with a year-on-year growth of 0.5%. In particular, due to rising demand for high-end smartphones, sales performance of companies such as Samsung and Apple improved, while Chinese firms primarily focused on mid-to-low-priced phones—such as Xiaomi and OPPO—experienced their first-ever decline in sales.
Data from market research firm IDC shows that India’s smartphone market volume reached 152 million units last year, up 0.5% year-on-year. Affected by rising memory prices and depreciation of the Indian rupee, the average smartphone price increased by 8% compared to the previous year, reaching $282. The most notable trend was strong demand for high-end models, while the mass-market and mid-tier segments showed signs of weakness.
In different price segments, entry-level smartphones priced below $100 saw sales grow by 18%, with Xiaomi, vivo, and Motorola leading the market. By contrast, sales of low-to-mid-range models priced between $100 and $200 declined by 8%, and sales of entry-level premium devices priced between $200 and $400 dropped by 5%. Meanwhile, the upper-mid segment ($400–$600) and the premium segment ($600–$800) achieved growth rates of 23% and 37%, respectively. Sales of ultra-premium products priced above $800 grew by 7%, further expanding Samsung and Apple’s market share.
Offline sales rose by 12%, marking the highest level in six years, capturing a market share of 57%. Online sales, however, declined by 12%, shrinking their market share to 43%.
In the smartphone sales ranking, vivo maintained its top position, followed closely by Samsung and OPPO. Last year, high-end smartphone sales in India stood out particularly. Apple’s revenue in India grew by 18%, while Samsung recorded a 12% increase. Among Chinese brands, only vivo achieved an 11% growth, thanks to its strong high-end product lineup and effective offline sales strategy; OPPO, on the other hand, faced a significant downturn in both revenue and profit.
Industry analysts believe that rising memory prices and weakening rupee will further push up device prices, squeezing demand in the low-end market. As Chinese brands reduce their presence in the mass-market and mid-tier segments in India, competition in the Indian market is expected to intensify.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860708721169408/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.