India Emerges as the Third Largest Smartphone Market; 97 Percent are 'Android' Devices

By siliconindia | Monday, 08 August 2016, 04:48 Hrs

BENGALURU: India sees the most number of smartphone users it seems. In a recent survey conducted by ‘Strategy Analytics’, it was found that around 30.7 million smartphones were shipped in the country since the second quarter of 2015. Among them, a whopping 29.8 million were Android devices, thereby retaining the top position in the second quarter of 2016.

The Executive Director of ‘Strategy Analytics’ was quoted as saying, “Android shipped 29.8 million smartphones in India in Q2 2016, growing an impressive 28 percent annually from 23.2 million units in Q2 2015. Android maintained first position across India with a record 97 percent OS share for the quarter, up from 90 percent a year ago.”

The total rise of smartphones in the country has seen an upward curve of 19 percent, making it the third largest smartphone market in the world after China and the United States. The research firm has attributed the massive growth in Android devices to an expanding middle class in the country as well as to the deep portfolio that Android provides its customers.

In comparison to Android devices, the sales of Apple phones have seen a downward slide. The research shows that Apple iOS devices’ shipments fell by 35 percent since Q2 2015. The total sale of Apple devices came down to 0.8 million units from 1.2 million units the previous year. The report counters the company’s figures which states that it had experienced a 51 percent growth in the country during the same period. The firm believes that given the stark difference between Android and iOS devices, it would be hard for the Apple corporation to get any momemtum without reducing its prices in India.