Xiaomi is India’s fastest growing smartphone brand: IDC report

Xiaomi now controls 23.5% of the Indian smartphone market, which ties it with Samsung as the top smartphone brand in the country, says the IDC report

Xiaomi emerged as the fastest growing smartphone brand in India in the September quarter, as its sales quadrupled in the period, according to the International Data Corporation’s (IDC) latest quarterly mobile phone tracker.

India accounted for 10% of all global smartphone shipments at 39 million units in the period—an increase of 40% over the previous quarter and a year-on-year increase of 21%.

Xiaomi now controls 23.5% of India’s smartphone market, which ties it with Samsung as the leading smartphone vendor in the country. Xiaomi’s market share in last quarter was 17%. The popular Redmi Note 4 continues to be the best selling smartphone in India.

Samsung, which held 24% of the market in last quarter, registered quarter-on-quarter growth of 39%. Among other vendors, Lenovo made a comeback after two quarters of decline. Its shipments in the September quarter went up by 83% and it now controls 9% of the smartphone market, making it the third largest smartphone vendor in India.

Vivo, which had a phenomenal June quarter when it held 13% of the market, has slipped to the fourth position. Its market share stands at 8.5%. Unlike Vivo, Oppo didn’t face a major shift in market share. It held 8% of the market share in the June quarter and controlled 7.9% in the September quarter.

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IDC attributes the rise in smartphone shipments to the pre-festive season sales and attractive deals on smartphones offered by Amazon, Flipkart and other online stores. Around 13 million smartphones were sold online in the September quarter, making for year-on-year growth of 35% and quarter-on-quarter growth of 73%.

“Online retailers have popularized many trends in the Indian smartphone market, like making devices more affordable through easy financing options, attractive exchange offers on existing smartphones. On the back of fresh infusion of funds and focus on India market, the online stores are expected to remain aggressive in 2018 as well,” said Jaipal Singh, senior analyst, IDC India.

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