Samsung jumps to second place in Indian smartphone market amid the pandemic

Samsung ‘s dominance in the Indian smartphone market has been declining for the past few years, and the company had dropped to third place in Q1 2020 in terms of market share. However, the South Korean firm seems to have climbed up the ladder during the second quarter to recapture the second position amid the pandemic and anti-China sentiments.According to a new report from Counterpoint Research, Samsung’s market share in the Indian smartphone market was 26 percent during Q2 2020. Xiaomi was still the leader of the segment with a 29 percent share of the market, but it is now within the South Korean firm’s reach. Other Chinese firms, Vivo (17%), Realme (11%), and OPPO (9%), stood at third, fourth, and fifth positions, respectively.Samsung shipped over 4.68 million smartphones in IndiaSmartphone shipments in India halved to just 18 million units during Q2 2020 due to the pandemic and closure of stores. In comparison, the March 2020 quarter saw shipments of over 31 million units. Even with declined shipments, Samsung seems to have done well compared to its Chinese rivals, shipping 4.68 million smartphones. Compared to its own numbers in Q2 2019, the company’s market share improved slightly.Smartphone brands faced several issues in the Indian market during the pandemic, including the stuttering supply of components and factory closures. There has also been an anti-China sentiment in the country after a dispute at the India-China border, which resulted in lower shipments for the Chinese brands.While Apple and OnePlus don’t appear in the top five brands in the overall smartphone market, they are the top players in the ultra-premium (above $600) and premium ($400) smartphone segments, respectively. With smartphones like the Galaxy M31s, Galaxy M51, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 5G, and the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung’s market share could improve even further in the next quarter.