Gartner predicts mobile phone sales in India to reach 251 million units in 2013
Research firm Gartner has predicted mobile devices sales in India will touch 251 million units in 2013, a 13.5 percent growth, as compared to 221 million units in 2012. Gartner hopes the market will continue to have a steady growth through 2016 when the sales are expected to go past 326 million units.
“The Indian mobile phone market is very competitive with more than 150 device manufacturers selling devices to consumers. Most of these manufacturers remain focused on the low-cost feature phone market which still constitutes over 91% of overall mobile phone sales, offering a huge market to compete in,” Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at Gartner is quoted as saying.
“The increase in share of smartphone device sales, declining sales to first time buyers and the continuous focus of global manufacturers on the low cost feature phone market, has put many of the 150 plus local and Chinese device manufacturers under survival mode. Many of them are already struggling to maintain share in the growing market,” he adds.
According to the analyst, some of the local and Chinese manufacturers have already started working to set up their infrastructure, and compete with international brands. Gartner says manufacturers such as ZTE, Micromax, Karbonn Mobile, Huawei stand at sixth, seventh and twelfth in the Indian smartphone market in first half of 2012. These companies are likely to continue to grow in near future, and give a tough competition to the international brands such as Samsung and Nokia, which currently dominate the market.
Gartner’s prediction that the local manufacturers are going to expand in India comes shortly after a report revealed that Micromax had emerged the ruling brand in the tablet segment, surpassing the likes of Samsung and Apple.
CyberMedia’s India Quarterly Media Tablet Market Review – between April and June this year, says Micromax owned a 18.3 percent share in tablet volume sales, while Samsung stood second with 13.3 per cent. Apple was on the third spot with a market share of 12.3 per cent during the review period. Micromax has now forayed into the consumer durables segment with new LED TVs, home theatres and blu ray player. Industry expects Micromax’s entry will heat up the competition in the sector.
Source : Times of India
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