Chinese Phone Sales Slide in India as Memory Costs Quadruple, Samsung and Apple Gain
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Aug 20
Chinese Phone Sales Slide in India as Memory Costs Quadruple, Samsung and Apple Gain
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Aug 20
Summary
India’s smartphone market shipped 64.2 million units in the first half of 2026, down 7.9%, as Chinese brands lost ground while Samsung and Apple were the only major vendors to hold steady and gain share.
Memory chip prices have risen fourfold since September 2025, pushing sub-$150 phones up by as much as 40% and forcing new budget launches toward $200-$250, eroding Chinese brands’ value-for-money edge.
June-quarter shipments fell 13.9% for Vivo, 8.5% for Oppo, 10% for Xiaomi and 14.2% for Realme; Samsung and Apple rose 0.4% and 0.7%, with OnePlus down a milder 2.5%.
Samsung’s broad $200-to-$800 lineup and in-house memory supply helped it narrow the gap with market leader Vivo, while Apple’s iPhone 17 was India’s top-shipped device for a second straight quarter.
IDC said India’s average smartphone selling price hit a record $315, suggesting the market is shifting upmarket as financing makes premium handsets more affordable and entry-level demand weakens.