Get All Access for $5/mo

Xiaomi and Realme 'Suffer' While Apple And Samsung Rise The market research firm said that this is the third consecutive quarterly decline in Indian smartphone shipments.

By Kavya Pillai

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Đức Trịnh

The recent smartphone shipments in India have witnessed a decline of 19% year-on-year (YoY) in the first quarter of 2023 (Q1 2023) to reach over 31 million units. It is the highest-ever first-quarter decline seen by India's smartphone market. The market research firm said that this is the third consecutive quarterly decline in Indian smartphone shipments.

The decline is attributed to sluggish demand, high inventory build-up carried over from 2022, growing consumer preference for refurbished phones and a pessimistic channel view of the market. Samsung maintained its top position in the Indian smartphone market for the second consecutive quarter. Its market share remained at 20% in Q1 2023 as well.

Xiaomi experienced a significant drop from Q1 2022 as it fell to the third spot during Q1 2023. The Chinese company suffered a 44% YoY decline, which is the largest the brand has ever recorded, to grab a 16% share. The decline was due to weak demand in the sub-Rs 10,000 segment, more dependence on online channels even when demand is higher in offline channels, and a confusing portfolio. The Redmi Note 12 series contributed to over 14% of Xiaomi's total shipments. Realme saw a 52% YoY decline in Q1 2023 which pushed the brand to fifth place with a 9% share. The company continued to face challenges such as inventory build-up and unfavourable market conditions in the sub-Rs 10,000 segments. The Realme C55 series did well during the quarter, accounting for 11% of its shipments.

Apple grew 50% YoY and grabbed a 6% share in Q1 2023 even as it maintained its lead in the overall premium segment as well as in the ultra-premium segment with 36% and 62% shares respectively. The report said that the recent opening of its own retail stores in the country will further strengthen Apple's brand image and lead to better growth avenues for the whole Apple ecosystem.


Kavya Pillai

Former Correspondent

News and Trends

"45% of All Ongoing Hydropower Projects in India are Ours": Patel Engineering

Patel Engineering reported a turnover of INR 4,400 crore in the last fiscal year, with a projected 10 per cent growth for the current year.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Data & Recovery

Say Hello to the Secure Cloud Storage Alternative Entrepreneurs Need

Secure, scalable, and cost-effective: Internxt is the smarter choice for cloud storage.

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.