Xiaomi Took Lead in Indian Smartphone Market

Xiaomi Took Lead in Indian Smartphone Market
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The Indian phone market in 2018 saw some major reshuffling when it comes to market leaders. New leaders emerged in the feature phone and in the smartphone categories, with one Chinese and one homegrown Indian company taking the lead.

Jio extended their market share in the feature phone market significantly from 11 percent in 2017 to 38 percent in 2018, making them the biggest feature phone maker by shipments. The company’s cheap rates and promotions have attracted customers fast since the launch in 2015, especially because its phones combine sought-after 4G internet capabilities with the affordability of a feature phone. The quick capture of the Indian market has also made Jio one of the world leaders in feature phone sales in 2018.

Data compiled by Counterpoint Research also shows that former market leader Samsung lost a significant amount of market share in the feature phone category, plunging from 21 percent to 12 percent in the same time period. Even though the Korean phone maker's share in the smartphone category remained stable, Chinese technology company Xiaomi was able to capture a bigger share in 2018.