Counterpoint: India's smartphone shipments to remain flat in Q3 2023

India’s smartphone shipments remained flat in the third quarter of 2023, despite Apple recording its highest ever quarterly shipments during this period, according to new research from Counterpoint.After nearly a year of decline, the Indian smartphone market is showing signs of recovery, with consumer demand gradually picking up heading into the all-important festive season.

vivo maintained its third position and was the fastest growing brand among the top five, with a year-on-year growth of 11%. In the entire market, the Transsion brand had the fastest year-on-year growth of 41%. Apple experienced a high-growth phase in India, with a year-on-year growth of 34%. The third quarter of 2023 was also Apple's best quarter in China, with more than 2.5 million units shipped. OnePlus is the top brand in the affordable high-end market (30,000 to 45,000 Indian rupees, approximately US$360 to US$540), with a market share of 29%, driven by strong sales of OnePlus 11R.

Other key insights

• Faster 5G upgrade: In the third quarter of 2023, the share of 5G smartphone shipments reached 53%.
• Super premium trend: The super premium trend (Rs 45,000, approximately USD 540) is gaining momentum with each passing quarter. In Q3 2023, the segment grew 44% year-on-year.
• Foldable phones will go mainstream: There is a growing demand for foldable phones in the ultra-premium market due to their different form factors, which changes the way we perceive and use smartphones.
• Growth of 4G feature phones: With the launch of JioBharat platform, the share of 4G feature phones in the overall feature phone shipments grew to 32% in Q3 2023.
• Other notable brands that saw year-on-year growth in Q3 2023 include Nokia (31%), Motorola (27%), Realme (7%), and Google (6%).