The 91Mobiles survey also showed that people are holding on to their phones longer, with over 60 percent adding that they change their phones only after two years. Approximately 50 percent of the respondents do it just for an upgrade, it added.
Samsung and Xiaomi smartphones seem to dominate the Indian smartphone market with an ownership share of 18.4 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively, according to a report.
The latest Smartphone Buyer Insights Survey, April 2023, published by 91Mobiles, made a year-on-year comparison of mobile phone ownership, comparing the April 2023 data with the corresponding month (April 2022) in the previous year.
In the pan-India survey, 91Mobiles revealed that Samsung, Motorola, Vivo, Infinix, POCO, OPPO, Tecno, iQOO and Xiaomi have increased their ownership by a small margin during the year.
“Apple and OnePlus declined in ownership share by small percentages to 11.1 percent and 6 percent from the earlier 14.3 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively. Other than Apple, Realme, Nokia and Asus also dropped marginally in terms of ownership during the period,” the survey said.
“In a digitalised world services related to daily life chores and banking can be availed in a click. Hence, smartphones play a critical role in empowering people by allowing them to use services and financial products promptly. That said, India remains a key market for all mobile phone brands. The survey outcome highlights that the Indian smartphone market is a matured market and ready to offer more to its consumers,” said Nitin Mathur, Co-Founder and COO of 91mobiles.
According to the survey, Apple is currently the most popular brand, and the majority of customers intend to switch to it when they make their next upgrade. About 20.3 percent of survey participants said they would buy iPhones as their next smartphone when asked which brand they preferred. Following the popularity of iPhones, 18.8 percent of survey participants indicated that they would like to switch to a Samsung phone when they next made a purchase.
The survey also showed that people are holding on to their phones longer, with over 60 percent adding that they change their phones only after two years.
Approximately 42 percent of the respondents do it just for an upgrade, it added.
Surprisingly, battery life, design, and screen display seem to take a back seat for users looking for a new phone. About 42 percent of buyers consider performance and speed as the most important factors for selecting a smartphone brand. Camera quality and brand name are the other prominent specifications buyers look at.
“With the supply chain disruptions getting resolved, smartphone manufacturers have been able to increase the supply of new handsets. Moreover, in the post-COVID pandemic era, people now look at specifications such as processor speed, performance, camera quality and connectivity. While the country remains a price-sensitive market, consumers are often willing to spend more if they perceive that they are getting a better quality gadget against what they already own,” said Bharanidharan Viswanathan, Co-Founder & CEO of 91mobiles.
“In terms of pricing, a significant 40 percent of users own smartphones priced between Rs 10,000 and Rs 40,000. About 33 percent of users own smartphones below Rs 10,000, indicating that India remains a price-sensitive market and smartphone makers have to offer a mix of premium, mid-range and affordable handsets,” the survey added.
It also revealed that people usually do their research, compare smartphones and refer to sites like 91mobiles and MySmartPrice before buying a new phone.
The Apple iPhone 15 series, followed by Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, are the two most sought-after upcoming premium handsets, the survey said. In the budget/mid-range phones, OnePlus Nord CE 3 and Samsung Galaxy M54 are the two devices people are most excited about.
It is likely that the sale of smartphones will see a spike in 2023. Over 70 percent of survey participants do not own 5G smartphones. Almost an equal number of buyers have shown their willingness to buy a new phone this year.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
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