India’s overall mobile handset market grew 7 percent YoY in 2021. Samsung captured the top position in the handset market in 2021, taking 17 percent share
India’s smartphone shipments grew 11 percent year-on-year (YoY) to reach 169 million units in 2021, as per research firm Counterpoint Research. The demand outstripped the supply in the last two quarters of 2021.
However, the shipments declined 8% YoY in the December quarter due to supply issues plaguing the smartphone manufacturing ecosystem, the report added.
India’s overall mobile handset market grew 7 percent YoY in 2021. Samsung captured the top position in the handset market in 2021, taking 17 percent share.
Feature phone shipments reached 86 million units to show flat growth in 2021. itel led the feature phone market, taking 24 percent share followed by Lava, Samsung and Jio. itel has been leading the feature phone market for the last two consecutive years.
Xiaomi maintained the top position in India’s smartphone market in 2021 with 2% YoY growth. Xiaomi grew 258% in the premium segment (>INR 30,000, ~$400) in 2021 with the Mi 11x series.
Samsung remained at the second position in 2021 with an 8% YoY decline in shipments. Samsung’s foldable device (Fold and Flip series) shipments grew 388 percent YoY in 2021.
Among the top five brands, realme was the fastest growing in 2021 with 20% YoY growth.It also captured the second spot in Q4 2021 for the first time ever. vivo emerged as the top 5G smartphone brand in 2021 with a 19 percent share. OPPO held the fifth position in 2021 with 6 percent YoY growth.
Transsion Group brands (itel, Infinix and TECNO) registered 55% YoY growth in 2021 and crossed 10 million shipments for the first time ever in a single year.
Apple was one of the fastest growing brands in 2021 with 108% YoY growth in shipments. OnePlus reached its highest ever shipments in 2021, crossing the 5-million mark with 59% YoY growth driven by the OnePlus Nord Series.
Research Analyst Shilpi Jain said, “India’s smartphone market retail ASP (average selling price) grew 14 percent YoY in 2021 to reach its highest ever at $227. The price hikes in the budget segment due to component price rise, increasing focus of OEMs on the premium segment, and increased demand for mid-range and premium smartphones due to increasing uses and availability of financing options contributed to the increasing ASP. This resulted in the Indian smartphone market revenue crossing $38 billion in 2021, registering a growth of 27 percent YoY.”
Local manufacturing bounced back, contributing 98 percent shipments in 2021, compared to 90 percent in 2020. The PLI scheme has been a great booster for the Indian mobile manufacturing ecosystem, attracting top players like Apple and Samsung to increase their ‘Make in India’ footprint and make India their export hub. Therefore, handset exports saw 26 percent YoY growth in 2021, Jain added.
