Samsung, OnePlus Lose Smartphone Market Share In 2024: IDC

Samsung has lost nearly 4% of its market share in India in 2024 compared to the previous year, losing the top spot to rival Vivo, according to a report by International Data Corporation released on Monday.

The South Korean mobile company's market share decreased from 17% to 13.2%, showed the IDC's latest worldwide quarterly mobile phone tracker. Its smartphone shipments fell 19.4%.

During the same period, iPhone-maker Apple increased its market share from 6.4% to 8.2%, while the other American brand — Motorola — seems to be scripting a strong comeback, having more than doubled its share.

Vivo emerged as the leader in the smartphone market, now holding a share of 16.6%, led by its consistent omnichannel play and diversified portfolio across price segments.

However, other Chinese brands appear to be struggling. OnePlus, a prominent player in the premium segment, saw its market share drop to 3.9% in 2024 from 6.1% a year ago. Similarly, Realme's market share fell to 11%, while that of Xiaomi declined to 12% during the same period.

Overall, India's smartphone market shipped 151 million units in 2024, reflecting a tepid 4% growth over the previous year, driven by price cuts and no-cost EMI schemes, as per the IDC report. Particularly, the pace of growth slowed in the second half at only 2% versus 7% in the first six months of the year.

“The vendors and channel partners continued to provide price cuts, discounts, and extended device warranties in the post-festive period," said Upasana Joshi, senior research manager, devices research, IDC Asia Pacific. India saw a strong 7% growth in the first half of 2024, while it stagnated at just 2% in the second half of the year. "While financing options were available across price segments, its impact was more pronounced in mid-range and premium devices throughout the year, with the ‘No Cost EMIs’ for up to 24 months being most popular."

The average selling prices rose 2% —a sharp fall from the double-digit growth of the past three years.

India became the fourth largest market for Apple in 2024, after the United States, China, and Japan, as shipments reached a record 12 million units in the country — a growth of 35% over the previous year, according to the report. Apple ranked in the top 5 brands for the first time during the October-December period, with a 10% market share. iPhone 15 and iPhone 13 were the highest shipped models, accounting for 6% of total shipments during the quarter. Apple, Motorola, and lesser-known iQOO gained ground as the share of the top five vendors depleted from 76%, 68%, and 65% in 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively.

The share of 5G smartphone shipments rose to 79% from 55% the previous year. Meanwhile, their average selling price fell by 19% year-on-year, now standing at $303 or roughly Rs 26,000.

The outlook for this year isn't exciting as well, with IDC projecting the market to grow 5% as weakening rupee may impact average selling prices.

“With a low single-digit growth in 2024, growth in 2025 hinges on a stronger performance in the mass segment and more offerings in the entry-premium segment for upgraders," said Navkendar Singh, associate vice president, devices research, IDC India.

“Generative AI features and use cases will start being key differentiators, moving beyond flagship models and becoming more prevalent across different price points. Online-focused long-tail brands will venture offline to sustain growth. However, the weakening rupee could impact average selling price, potentially restricting annual growth to below 5% in 2025."