India's smartphone market falls 10% YoY as budget phones slump
India's smartphone market just saw its sharpest decline in three years, falling 10% year-over-year between April and June 2026.
Rising prices, thanks to inflation and costly memory chips, pushed phone costs up.
The most affordable phones (under ₹15,000) were hit hardest, with sales dropping by a huge 45%, making it tough for buyers on a budget.
Samsung grows shipments, rivals lose share
Chinese brands like Vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi (including Poco), and Realme lost ground as demand for entry-level phones shrank. Vivo stayed on top, but others slipped.
Meanwhile, Samsung was the only big brand to grow its shipments (up 2%), holding strong at a 17.6% market share.
Premium phones above ₹45,000 held steady thanks to financing deals that made them easier to buy; Apple kept its share at 7% despite some supply hiccups.