Smartphone sales in India experienced their worst quarterly performance in six years during the first three months of 2026, declining 3% compared to the same period last year, according to new research released Friday by Counterpoint Research.
The decline comes as manufacturers have raised prices on more than 80 smartphone models by an average of 15%, with analysts predicting additional price increases of 15% to 20% in the upcoming second quarter.
Senior analyst Prachir Singh explained the market challenges, stating: “The market is facing a clear affordability squeeze, driven by sharp memory-led cost inflation and currency pressures that have forced OEMs to raise prices across key models.”
The outlook for India’s smartphone industry remains concerning, with research director Tarun Pathak warning: “India’s smartphone market is expected to remain under pressure in the near term, with Q2 2026 likely to see a double-digit decline.”
Despite the overall market struggles, Vivo maintained its position as the leading smartphone brand with 21% market share, while Samsung and Oppo followed in second and third place respectively.
Apple managed to capture 9% of the market, benefiting from continued consumer interest in the iPhone 17 series. Meanwhile, Google emerged as the fastest-growing premium smartphone brand, recording a 39% increase in shipments compared to the previous year, largely attributed to artificial intelligence-powered features in their devices.
