smart fone
This year also the festive season has not been profitable for smartphone companies. There was no increase in smartphone sales during the 30-day festive season. Especially the sales of budget smartphones have been affected the most. Market analysts believe that next year i.e. in 2025 also the growth is going to be in single digits during the festive season. Recent reports by research agency Counterpoint and IDC have forced smartphone companies to make new strategies.
Flat demand in festive season
According to Counterpoint’s report, between late September and mid-October, the volume of smartphone sales has seen a growth of only 1 to 2 percent. Even in the festive season of last year i.e. 2023, there was no increase in smartphone sales. However, last year the growth of smartphone sales volume was in double digits. Sales of mass market devices have been very low in the festive season of 2024, due to which the growth of the industry has been low. Demand has been low, especially for smartphones in the budget segment, which drives volumes.
I don’t like cheap phones.
According to research, the demand for phones priced below 100 dollars i.e. 10 thousand rupees has been very low. The share of this segment was 30 percent in the third quarter of the year, which has come down to just 20 percent this year. According to the IDC report, the volume of the $100 segment was 21 percent in the third quarter of last year, which has come down to just 13 percent this year. There has been a huge decline of 35 percent in the sales of ultra budget segment smartphones.
According to IDC, 146 million units of smartphones were shipped in India last year. However, compared to 2022, only 1 percent growth has been seen in smartphone shipments. According to Counterpoint, 152 million units were shipped in 2023. Shipment growth was slow in the first half, while smartphone shipments saw a rise in the second half.
Growth will remain low in the fourth quarter
Growth in smartphone shipments has been seen in the first three quarters this year, but this growth is expected to be less in the last quarter i.e. the fourth quarter. After the festive season, there has been a significant decline in smartphone sales. According to IDC, 115 million smartphones have been shipped in India till September this year. There has been a growth of 12 percent year-on-year in the first quarter. At the same time, it was 3 percent in the second quarter and 6 percent in the third quarter.
IDC estimates that smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter of this year are going to be between 35 to 37 million. The data of shipments made between October and December will come in January. Thus, 151 to 152 million smartphone shipments are estimated this year. According to Counterpoint, smartphone shipments this year are also expected to be 152 million.
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