IDC’s India smartphone market report said 50 million 5G smartphones were shipped during 2022 with an ASP of $395 in 2022 against $431 in 2021.

5G smartphones are set to account for around 60 percent of shipments in 2023 as more affordable 5G launches are expected in 2023.

The India smartphone market size in 2022 reached 144 million, the lowest since 2019, with 10 percent decline.

IDC report suggests that Xiaomi (with 30.3 million), Samsung (26.1 million), Vivo (22.9 million), Realme (20.9 million) Oppo (17.1 million) are the smartphone leaders in India in 2022.

Smartphone shipment in 4Q22 declined 27 percent to 30 million units despite multiple price discounts and channel schemes.

ASP of smartphones hit a record $224, rising 18 percent in 2022. The entry-level segment (sub-$150) shrank to 46 percent of the market, down from 54 percent a year ago. “The dearth of new launches in this critical mass segment was a barrier for new smartphone users, thus limiting the overall market’s growth,” said Upasana Joshi, Research Manager, Client Devices, IDC India.

Shipments to online channels dropped by 6 percent, though with a record-high share of 53 percent. The offline channel declined 15 percent.

The share of MediaTek and Qualcomm-based smartphones dropped while UNISOC’s share doubled to 14 percent, with significant volumes coming from Realme and Samsung in the entry-level 4G segment.

The mid-premium and premium price segments of US$300-500 and US$500+ grew 20 percent and 55 percent, respectively, while the sub-US$300 segment declined by 15 percent. In the premium segment of US$500+, Apple maintained its lead with a 60 percent share, followed by Samsung with a 21 percent share. Apple iPhone 13 was the third most shipped device in 2022.

“Vendors and channel partners need to rethink their plans for entry-level portfolios, driving 5G device affordability with attractive trade-in programs and financing schemes,” says Navkendar Singh, Associate Vice President, Devices Research, IDC.