IDC Investigates: How Popular Is The iPhone In India?
by Joe White
June 26, 2013
It seems that Apple's recent iPhone initiatives haven't helped the Cupertino, Calif. company increase its market share in India. In fact, IDC reports that Apple is no longer one of the top five smartphone vendors in the country.
The report comes following the news of Apple's disappointing market share in Europe. Though iPhone sales in India have increased recently by 400 percent, the availability of less expensive handsets meant that Samsung, along with a number of domestic vendors, were able to nudge Apple out of the top five list of smartphone makers.
Android-powered handsets, however, currently enjoy a huge 90 percent market share in India.
IDC senior market analyst Manasi Yadav said: "Apple has always been a niche player in the country. Apple numbers in Q4 of 2012 were exceptional but their shipments actually saw a dip in Q1 of 2013 as per our numbers."
Micromax and Karbonn, two domestic companies, took the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. Samsung, of course, won first place.
With the Indian smartphone market having grown by 24 percent during Q1 2013, it's clear that a low-cost iPhone could help Apple win back market share in the country. Though whether such a smartphone is indeed in the cards remains to be seen.
For more of today's news, see: Hold That Pose! New APIs Mean iOS 7 Could Detect Blinking, Smiling, Want To Learn More About Apple's Campus 2? Watch Today's Live Stream, and You Can Now Play The Blockheads With Others Via Online Or Local Multiplayer.