NEW DELHI — India’s premium smartphone segment continued its strong
double-digit growth momentum last year, with Apple, for the first time,
securing a spot among the top five smartphone brands in India in Q4 2024,
according to a new report on Tuesday.
Apple recorded a 72 per cent YoY growth, capturing an 11
per cent market share in Q4.
Similarly, the super-premium smartphone segment and
uber-premium segment (above Rs 1,00,000) posted impressive gains, up 10 per
cent and 25 per cent, respectively, according to the CyberMedia Research (CMR)
report.
Apple’ market share in the super-premium segment (Rs
50,000–Rs 1,00,000) segment skyrocketed by 82 per cent YoY, while the
uber-premium segment (Rs 1,00,000) surged by 32 per cent YoY.
Aggressive marketing, deep festive discounts, and strong
demand for both latest and previous-generation iPhones enabled this market
growth, according to the report.
According to Menka Kumari, senior analyst, Industry
Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, in 2024, India's smartphone market presents a
complex picture of a heterogeneous consumer base.
On one end, the premium segment continues to expand,
reflecting a shift toward high-performance lifestyle statements. On the other
hand, less than Rs 10,000 segment is experiencing green shoots of recovery, she
mentioned.
Across price segments, affordability and accessibility
initiatives are empowering consumer aspirations and driving market growth.
The India smartphone market in 2024 saw mixed trends
across segments. While the affordable segment grew slightly by 1 per cent YoY,
the value-for-money segment declined by 7 per cent, reflecting a shift toward
premium smartphones, the findings showed.
The sub-Rs 10,000 5G segment saw 80 per cent YoY growth
in 2024, driven by new launches and rising demand for affordable, feature-rich
smartphones.
