Xiaomi Beats Samsung to Become Top Smartphone Vendor in India
January 24, 2018 | CanalysEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
India’s smartphone market has finally seen a change at the top, with Xiaomi now leading with shipments close to 8.2 million units in Q4 2017. Despite annual growth of 17%, Samsung failed to maintain its lead, shipping just over 7.3 million smartphones to take second place. The smartphone market in India grew by a modest 6% overall, in line with Canalys forecasts, following the seasonal dip as vendors and channel partners take stock after a busy Q3. Vivo, Oppo and Lenovo rounded out the top five, while total smartphone shipments were just shy of 30 million units.
“Xiaomi’s persistence has paid off,” said Ishan Dutt, Canalys Research Analyst. “Its results are commendable, given it entered the market just three years ago. Multiple factors have contributed to Xiaomi’s growth, but the key reason for its current success lies in the autonomy that it granted its Indian unit, letting it run the business locally. Localization in channel strategy, marketing and products has been evident in Xiaomi’s Indian operations.”
Together, the top two vendors now command more than 50% of the smartphone market in India, with market leader Xiaomi at 27% and second-place Samsung at 25%.
“Samsung’s loss comes from its inability to transform its low-cost product portfolio,” said Rushabh Doshi, Analyst. “It has been unable to win over cost-conscious consumers, losing market share in the sub-INR15,000 (US$240) segment to Xiaomi quarter after quarter. Despite its ability to offer better margins and funding to the offline channel, consumer demand for Samsung’s devices has been weak. But it has far superior R&D, and a better hold on the supply chain due to its strong components business. The power struggle between Xiaomi and Samsung will continue well into 2018, as Samsung revamps its low-cost portfolio and fights to take back the aspirational status it once held in minds of Indian consumers.”
Xiaomi’s success in India will have far-reaching implications for its worldwide strategy, giving a big boost to its overseas ambitions. Considerable business in the world’s largest two smartphone markets will build confidence in its partners as well as future investors. “But growth in 2018 will be hard to come by,” added Doshi. “As Xiaomi’s market share reaches saturation point in India, and the market continues to shrink in China, it must contend with slower growth for its smartphone business as it begins to expand in other countries.”
Smartphone quarterly estimate and forecast data is taken from Canalys’ Smartphone Analysis service.
Suggested Items
Electroninks Acquires Complete UTDots Advanced Materials Nanoinks Portfolio and IP
05/19/2025 | ElectroninksElectroninks, the leader in metal organic decomposition (MOD) inks for additive manufacturing and advanced semiconductor packaging, announced it has officially completed its full acquisition of UTDots products and IP into its portfolio, further expanding its offerings in digital printing for high-performance applications.
Global PCB Market Forecast to Reach $86.5 Billion by 2029 with 5.9% Annual Growth
05/19/2025 | EINPresswire.comThe printed circuit board market size has witnessed steady growth in recent years and the trend is anticipated to continue. Increasing from $65.82 billion in 2024 to $68.75 billion in 2025, it showcases a compound annual growth rate CAGR of 4.5%.
IDC Expects Worldwide Telecom Services Market Growth to Slow Due to Uncertainty
05/19/2025 | IDCWorldwide spending on telecom services and pay TV services reached $1,510 billion in 2024, reflecting a 2.2% year-on-year increase, according to the Worldwide Semiannual Telecom Services Tracker published by International Data Corporation (IDC).
Flexible PCB Market to Reach $61.75B by 2032, Driven by the Demand for Compact Electronics, Automotive and Medical Applications
05/16/2025 | Globe NewswireAccording to the SNS Insider, “The Flexible PCB Market was valued at USD 21.42 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $61.75 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 12.52% over the forecast period 2024-2032.”
Connection Wins Intel Partner of the Year Award for AI PC
05/16/2025 | BUSINESS WIREConnection, a leading information technology solutions provider to business, government, healthcare, and education markets, is pleased to announce that it has received Intel’s 2025 Partner of the Year award for AI PC. Connection earned this distinction for demonstrating exceptional technology innovation and collaboration in developing solutions and marketing strategies.