iBall Outpaces Samsung, Leads Indian Tablet Market

BANGALORE: The Indian tablet market witnessed a positive growth in the fourth quarter of 2014 reporting a shipment of 0.96 million units.

The market has shown constructive growth placing the local players in the lead. Samsung no more owns the leading position as the home-bred iBall held the sway over the tablet market in India, reports The Economic Times.

iBall has moved several notches higher by grabbing a market share of 15.6 percent in comparison to its last year’s 4.5 percent in the fourth quarter while the Korean competitor, Samsung, descended to the second position with a drop from 17.9 percent to 12.9 percent, according to the reports of the research agency, IDC.

The top vendor, iBall has played safely aiming at consumers looking to own entry level with their cost effective prices. The company is working on expanding the presence in the retail market.

“The market saw a correction, post the introduction of BIS regulation in July 2013. Unbranded tablets were wiped off from the market thereby contracting the bubble of growth witnessed in 1H 2013 and hence resulting in year-on-year decline in growth,” said Tanvi Mann, market analyst, client devices, IDC India.

This growth in the Indian tablet market can be attributed to the robust performances of the local brands and rising interest of PC OEMs in the tablet market.

Priced below $150, the 7 inch tablets have attracted buyers in the Indian market and would continue to draws customers for the upcoming quarter, added IDC.

The figures of the WiFi enabled tabs witnessed a nosedive as the market is being drawn towards the 3G tablets which show a double digit growth.

More companies would escalate their LTE spectrum networks by the second half of the year. Owing to this the market for 4G is expected to get an upsurge.

"The consumer space will continue to be led by the local brands and we may see re-entry of some of the older players in the top five vendor list. On a yearly basis, we expect 2015 to post single digit growth over 2014," added IDC

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