India's Smartphone Market Grows 9% in Q3, Vivo Takes the Top Spot for the First Time

India's Smartphone Market Grows 9% in Q3, Vivo Takes the Top Spot for the First Time

India's Smartphone Market Grows 9% in Q3, Vivo Takes the Top Spot for the First Time

Canalys' latest report reveals that the Indian smartphone market shipped 47.1 million units in Q3 2024, marking a 9% year-on-year growth. Vivo emerged as the market leader for the first time, capturing a 19% market share with 9.1 million shipments, driven by the launch of new premium devices and aggressive channel incentives.

Vivo's strong performance was fueled by the expansion of its online portfolio, with the T3 and K12 series driving sales beyond its traditional offline channels. Notably, both Vivo and OPPO are actively expanding their premium portfolios to address inventory clearance during the festival season.

Xiaomi followed closely with a 17% market share, shipping 7.8 million units, a 3% year-on-year growth. Samsung came in third with 7.5 million shipments (16% market share), experiencing a 4% decline year-on-year. OPPO and realme rounded out the top five with 6.3 million and 5.3 million shipments respectively, capturing 13% and 11% market share, representing 43% and 8% year-on-year growth.

Beyond the top five, other brands also showcased strong growth this quarter. Driven by the popularity of the iPhone 15 series, particularly the increased demand from smaller cities ahead of the launch, Apple witnessed significant shipments. Brands like Motorola, Google, and Nothing capitalized on their unique design language, clean user interfaces, and channel expansion strategies to achieve sales growth.

Canalys expects the Indian smartphone market to experience modest single-digit growth in 2025, with the ultra-low-end 5G segment emerging as a natural market driver. Despite improved monsoon conditions in recent years, driving increased demand in rural areas, the transition from feature phones to smartphones remains slow. Competition from 4G feature phones and the growing unorganised second-hand market continue to hamper this shift.

Overall, while the Indian smartphone market exhibits positive growth, it faces certain challenges. In the future, brands will need to continue innovating, launching more competitive products, and actively expanding into emerging markets to stand out in the intense competition.