Smartphone sales in India have declined by 13% in the second quarter as the nation struggles to contain its second wave of COVID-19 infections. While in-person smartphone sales slipped significantly this quarter, online smartphone sales surged by 87% compared to the previous year, helping to curb the overall market decline.
According to Canalys analyst Sanyam Chaurasia, the decline has come after smartphone vendors in India wrongly assumed that COVID-19 would remain under control across the nation, with many planning to invest in branded stores and offline partnership opportunities. “Once again they were quickly compelled to pivot to an online strategy,” Chaurasia confirmed in his report.
During this turbulent period, Chinese smartphone vendor Xiaomi emerged as the Indian market leader, capturing a 29% market share. Following in second place is Samsung, which managed to capture a significant 17% share of the market.
With India’s vaccination campaign gaining momentum, Chaurasia expects overall smartphone sales to pick up in the second half of the year. As consumer confidence rises to pre-coronavirus levels, smartphone vendors are expected to begin launching an array of new products.
There is, however, still a concern that a third wave could hit India, which would result in smartphone vendors having to readjust their strategies yet again.
