Rising demand for premium devices, led by Apple and Samsung, is expected to increase India's smartphone market size to over $50 billion (about Rs 428,900 crore) this year, market research firm Counterpoint Technology Market Research said on Friday. The Indian smartphone market size was estimated at $37.9 billion (about Rs 3.25 lakh crore) in 2021, according to the research firm.
Premium mobile device maker Apple will start selling iPhone 16 series smartphones from September 20 onwards, sources aware of the development said. The company for the first time has plans to start assembling iPhone Pro Series in India but those models will start selling at a later date, the source said. "The entire iPhone 16 lineup will be available across the country tomorrow," an Apple India spokesperson said.
Smartphone supplies in India grew by 6 per cent to 4.6 crore in the July-September quarter with Vivo leading the chart and iQoo clocking the highest growth rate among top 10 brands, a report by market research firm IDC said on Wednesday. The market was dominated by Chinese players, with leading brands cornering around 72 per cent market share during the quarter. "The Indian smartphone market grew for the fifth consecutive quarter.
The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday cleared the Rs 13,180 crore project by Yuzhan Technology, part of Taiwan's Foxconn Group, at Kancheepuram. The unit is reportedly expected to assemble smartphone display modules, which will be one of the first such units to cater to Apple's growing presence in the country. The unit is expected to generate at least 14,000 jobs. Of the 14 existing manufacturing units in the Apple supply chain, seven are based in Tamil Nadu.
In a dazzling showcase at Apple Park, Apple on Monday introduced its latest technological marvels, including the much-anticipated iPhone 16 lineup. The event, held at the newly inaugurated Observatory building, featured an array of exciting updates that promise to redefine the smartphone experience.
In a sign of the expanding Apple supplier ecosystem in India, American multinational Jabil Inc will set up an electronics manufacturing facility in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore. Jabil is one of the 14 Apple suppliers in India, of around 200 globally, while another 14 have reportedly received preliminary clearance to form joint ventures with Indian companies to set up facilities. Interestingly, of the 14 existing manufacturing units in the Apple supply chain, seven are already in Tamil Nadu.
'The plan is to assemble most of the new phones in India within three years.'
The Tamil Nadu government is set to unveil a housing initiative for 18,720 women employed by Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn, a key supplier to iPhone-maker Apple, this Saturday. The project, located at Vallam Vadagal near Chennai, marks the first time an Indian state government has constructed a hostel of this scale for a private firm - a model that's been successful in China and Vietnam.
India's smartphone shipment grew by 11.5 per cent in the first quarter of calendar year (CY) 2024 on a year-on-year basis to 34 million units. This is the third consecutive quarter of growth in shipments, International Data Corporation's (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker said.
Smartphones have been a key success story of the government's production-linked incentive scheme, helping India become the second-largest mobile phone manufacturing country, after China.
Indian smartphone sales, traditionally dominated by the entry and mid-range segments, are set to change as high-end and super-premium devices capture consumer attention. The premium category is expected to grow by more than 20 per cent in calendar year (CY) 2024 compared to the previous year. While the overall smartphone market is expected to w
...far more expensive than those available in the US or in Dubai though Apple won't pass on the higher cost of assembling the iPhone 15 and iPhone Plus to Indian customers.
iPhone maker Apple led India market with highest revenue in 2023 for the first time while Samsung topped the chart in terms of sales volume, market research firm Counterpoint Research said on Wednesday. While India's smartphone shipments remained flat in 2023 at 152 million units, Samsung and Chinese mobile phone makers Vivo and Oppo were able to grow their shares, according to Counterpoint's Monthly India Smartphone Tracker report. "Apple's focus on India is also aiding the trend, with the brand surpassing the 10-million-unit mark in shipments and capturing the top position in revenue in a calendar year for the first time, propelled by robust demand for both its latest and older iPhones.
Leading up to Valentine's Day on February 14, quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart have witnessed a phenomenal uptick in the sales of products related to the occasion, such as roses and chocolates. Meanwhile, e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart have gone live with their respective Valentine's Day sale events, offering generous discounts on products. Sales of chocolates and roses on Zomato-owned Blinkit shattered previous records at the beginning of this year's Valentine's Day week, on February 7, which is celebrated as Rose Day.
Even as top Pegatron executives went to the factory near Chennai on Tuesday to make an assessment of the fire damage to decide on a possible date for resuming operations, sources said the impact of the closure will be minimal for Apple's iPhone production. Late in the evening sources said that the factory might be operational soon-but said they are waiting for a final update. It will also not impact the availability of the newly-launched iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, they said.
Tech giant Apple on Tuesday unveiled its much-awaited iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus with USB-C type charging at its "Wonderlust" event.
Sale of Apple's iPhone 15 is estimated to have registered a 100 per cent growth compared to that of the iPhone 14 series on the first day with high demand for made-in-India iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models, according to industry sources. Apple has for the first time made available the 'made-in-India' iPhone on the same day it started selling the devices in the country and other parts of the globe. "Till evening, 6 pm IST, the sales of iPhone 15 series have recorded over 100 per cent growth on Day 1 compared to the sale of iPhone 14.
Both versions come up with the dynamic island feature that first debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max and the USB-C type charging. As per The Verge, an American technology-based website, the iPhone 15 also has an OLED Super Retina display, which supports Dolby Vision content with 1,600 nits of brightness. The peak brightness of this display is 2,000 nits in sunlight, double that of the iPhone 14. Apart from this, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus also has an improved camera system.
Both versions come up with the dynamic island feature that first debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max and the USB-C type charging. As per The Verge, an American technology-based website, the iPhone 15 also has an OLED Super Retina display, which supports Dolby Vision content with 1,600 nits of brightness. The peak brightness of this display is 2,000 nits in sunlight, double that of the iPhone 14. Apart from this, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus also has an improved camera system.
Smart devices maker Samsung continued to lead the smartphone market in the country for the fourth consecutive quarter in July-September with a 17.2 per cent market share, market research firm Counterpoint said on Wednesday. Shipments of iPhone maker Apple crossed 2.5 million units in the reported quarter thereby registering an all-time high in a quarter, according to the Counterpoint's Monthly India Smartphone Tracker report. "Samsung maintained its leading position for the fourth consecutive quarter with a 17.2 per cent share driven by the success of its A and M series.
Making the Pixel 8 in India will not necessarily bring the price down -- witness iPhones made in India that are more expensive than those in the US and Dubai.
The Apple iPhone comprises 44 per cent of the global smartphone market's revenues and it is the second most-such device to be shipped after Samsung. More than half of smartphones used in the US are iPhones. More than 7 million iPhones are expected to be sold in India in 2022, extending the user base to 20 million, according to market research and analyst firm Techarc. Hence, the news about Apple scaling down its production target for iPhone 14 in India has made news.
Apple is hoping to assemble in India 25 per cent of all iPhones produced globally to reduce its heavy dependence on China.
The Apple 'Far Out' event, which was one of the most anticipated tech events of the year, finally happened on Wednesday, bringing new gadgets galore including new iPhones, new watches and new AirPods. However, for those who missed it, worry not, here's the roundup.
Whoever can make acquiring smartphones more affordable will win the sales game.
Local residents say until about two months ago, this board carried the name of Motorola, which once had a manufacturing unit in Sriperumbudur, 40-odd km from Chennai in Tamil Nadu. In May 2020, Luxshare Precision Industry Co, a China-headquartered AirPods and iPhone assembler, had entered into a deal with the Tamil Nadu government to take over the defunct Motorola unit.
India's stiff labour laws were one key issue that Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed with Prime Minister Modi on his recent visit.
At a time when Apple delivered its flagship line of new products on schedule despite battling a year of supply-chain turmoil, India could account for at least 12 per cent of the free-on-board (FoB) value of Apple Inc's iPhones manufactured by its vendors globally by 2025-26 (FY26). The number represents a significant shift for the Cupertino-based company's over-dependence on China, where 95 per cent of its phones are still being made. India's growing importance can be seen from the fact that in 2021-22 (FY22) - the first year of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme (the scheme was extended by a year due to the pandemic) - the FoB value of iPhones made in the country was $1.75 billion, translating into less than 2 per cent of the global value.
Apple unveiled its highly anticipated iPhone 14 during its 'Far Out' event on Wednesday along with the iPhone 14 Plus variant, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. This new lineup is inspired by the iPhone 13, with sharp metal edges, rounded corners, a glass back, the recognisable notch at the top of the handset, and a lightning port.
Apple's decision to launch the eSIM-only iPhone 14 series in the US has American buyers puzzled. Surprisingly, it stumped some Indian folks, too, despite the availability of a physical SIM slot in the India-centric iPhone 14 series. This is because a large number of Apple consumers in India get their iPhones at considerably cheaper rates from the US through visiting relatives, friends, family, et al. Their apprehensions are mostly about compatibility with Indian networks and eSIM availability in India.
Apple's newest phone iPhone 14 will be made in India as the global tech titan bets big on the manufacturing prowess of the world's second-biggest smartphone market after China.
Bharti Airtel on Thursday said its 5G services have gone live in eight cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur and Varanasi. The customer availing 5G services will have to pay as per their existing 4G plan, it said. "Airtel has been at the forefront of India's telecom revolution for the last 27 years.
Apple Inc is commencing assembly of its iPhone 12 model in the country, a move that is expected to help the US tech giant further consolidate its position in the burgeoning smartphone market in India. Apple has partnered with third-party manufacturers like Foxconn and Wistron to make some of its phones in India. These include iPhone SE, iPhone 10R and iPhone 11.
The US-based company, in collaboration with partners like Wistron and Foxconn, had recently started assembling iPhone 11 in India.
A Dubai trip plus Apple iPhone 12 is cheaper than buying the phone in India. Various models of the iPhone 12 Pro and Max are cheaper in Dubai by up to Rs 35,000 owing to higher GST, Customs duty in India.
Till recently, iPhone production in India was limited to older models at a lower price tag. So far, Apple has localised production of five smartphone models - iPhone SE (1st Gen), 6S, 7, XR and 11.
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The SE is up against some sweet deals from China and South Korea, not to mention Apple's own XR.
One of Apple's suppliers, Salcomp, will invest Rs 2,000 crore over the next five years to make components at a Nokia plant in Chennai. The facility, which has been closed for nearly 10 years, will be revived and made operational from March 2020.