Apple has been trailing its competitors for the smartphone market's share in India. Diminishing sales of the iPhone have put the company in the 18th place among smartphone vendors.
On the other hand, Samsung remains a dominant trader, securing a quarter of the market with their 4G devices like the the Galaxy Grand Prime and Galaxy J2, The Verge reported. Devices with in-built 4G connectivity have been attracting consumers.
Shipment of these smartphones has tripled in the Q3 relative to Q2, an IDC report stated. Indians still prefer affordable handsets, which typically cost below Rs 10,000 (approx $150).
Majority of Indians cannot afford an iPhone, whereas in European countries and the United States face a "saturated market" situation. The global smartphone market is beginning to slow, but in India sales growth paints a vibrant picture with a 21.4% increase in smartphone shipments relative to last year, reported The Verge.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Apple CEO Tim Cook during a trip to the US in September. Modi proposed a solution to bring down the cost of Apple products in the subcontinent: Apple could set up a manufacturing base in India.
China-based Lenovo had recently done just that, and has since seen a positive outcome in exports.
Apple has always followed the strategy of securing high-profit margins first, whereas in India, the demand remains consistent for cheaper hardware, reported The Verge. Apple remains keenly interested in expanding their business in India.
Recently, the company's revenue crossed the $1-billion milestone in the country. But, the brand remains largely unaffordable to a majority of the population, who would rather opt for a second-hand product, The Verge reported. India has a vast potential waiting to be tapped, especially for the new-age gizmo consumers.
