India likely to see 70-75% growth in 5G smartphone shipments in festive season

India is expected to see 70-75 per cent annual growth in 5G smartphone shipments during the ongoing festive season, a new report has said. The country saw a 65 per cent growth in 5G handset shipments till July this year (year-on-year), according to market research firm CMR. While value-for-money smartphones (Rs 7,000-Rs 25,000) saw a 61 per cent YoY growth, premium 5G smartphones (Rs 25,000 and above) saw a 68 per cent YoY growth.

Samsung led the 5G shipments in India with a 25 per cent market share, followed by Vivo at 14 per cent and OnePlus at 12 per cent, the data showed. Around 150 5G smartphone launches are expected this year in the country, a 34 per cent increase from last year (112 launches).

The Indian smartphone market declined by 6 per cent (year-over-year) in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023, with 5G smartphone shipments growing 45 per cent (year-over-year). “Despite the overall decline in smartphone shipments, the 5G smartphone segment showed promising performance capturing 47 per cent market share (up from 31 per cent in Q2 2022),” according to said Shipra Sinha, Analyst-Industry Intelligence Group, CMR.

About 31 million Indian users are expected to upgrade to 5G phones in 2023, representing a vast opportunity for further 5G adoption in the country, according to the latest Ericsson Consumer Lab Report. 5G in India has elevated overall network satisfaction by an impressive 30 per cent compared to 4G. The 5G users in India stand out for their high daily engagement with apps, such as streaming HD video, video calling services, mobile gaming and augmented reality.