New spectrum, supporting new networks, always shapes demand for consumer devices and apps. That is true in India as Long Term Evolution 4G networks are activated.
Sales of 4G smartphones shipments reached 15.4 million units in the first quarter of 2016, up more than six times over the same period of 2015, says International Data Corp.
“4G based device shipments accounted for 65.5 percent of overall smartphone shipments in Q1 2016 driven primarily by Samsung’s J-series models,” said Jaipal Singh, IDC market analyst.
Smartphone shipments in India grew about five percent in the first quarter, year over year, says IDC.
The 23.5 million units shipped in India in the first quarter of 2016 were, however, down by 8.2 percent sequentially from the fourth quarter of 2015.
Shipments by Indian vendors Micromax, Intex and Lava collectively dropped 20.4 percent sequentially.
LeEco entered the Indian smartphone market in the first quarter. Chinese vendors such as Oppo, Xiaomi, Vivo and Coolpad also gained traction in the first quarter of the year, IDC notes.
The “Make in India” campaign now has more than 25 suppliers manufacturing smartphones locally in India.
More than 66 percent of the smartphones shipped in the quarter were assembled within India.
