Android market in India

- Saurabh Sharma, Country Manager, Spire Research and Consulting

India can easily be considered as an Android country since 91% of its market share belongs to devices using Google’s mobile operating system. It is an open-source, Linux-based operating system designed specifically for smartphones and computer tablets. This facilitates easy accessibility for programmers to provide enhanced services as well as improve the core functionality of the device. According to statistics, the Android platform has breached 80% market share globally in the third quarter of 2013.

With 40 million smartphones in the country, Indian users have an easy access to smartphones to stay connected online. With more consumers wanting to get their hands on smartphones and computer tablets, this has unsurprisingly pushed for the dominance of Androids across markets. Moreover, Androids is adopted by all major smartphone players in India – local players such as Karbonn and Micromax, as well as Chinese players such as Huawei and ZTE have jumped on the bandwagon. It is plain to see that this strong adoption from industry players is the main driver in Androids dominating the Indian smartphones market in 2013.

One of the biggest smartphone players, Samsung, has singlehandedly contributed to approximately 40% of the total 211.6 million smartphone shipments worldwide in 2013. It is currently holding on to 79.3% share in the global smartphone market. However, it also faces stiff competition from Apple in the USD450 segment, where both giants are vying over 80% volume share. Besides, the local Indian players are also creating a competitive environment in the low and mid-tiers segments.

The rise of Androids

The Android market is most popular with users under 25 years of age (50%). The rise of Androids in India can be attributed to the accessibility of low-priced smartphones that are equipped with a wide range of features, as well as the availability of cheaper data plans offered by service providers. The price of Android smartphones typically fall between the range of INR3,000 and INR45,000; propelling their reach to a wide audience. Besides, the increasing comfort level in using the open-source operating system amongst programmers has also led to Androids’ growth.

Another factor contributing to its escalating popularity is the rise IN THE AVAILABILITY AND DIVERSITY OF Android-based applications. According to research, games is the most popular category among paid apps, with nearly 3 out of 5 users (58%) paying for games. Other popular paid apps categories include chat/instant messaging apps (53%) and streaming music apps (45%).

What lies ahead?

India and China will add over 400 million smartphone users by 2014 – comprising half of the total that will emerge in 47 countries across the globe. It is predicted that India will gain 200 million smartphone users and surge ahead of the US; making it the second country with the highest smartphone penetration in the world.

With these developments, marketers have to arm themselves with technologically advanced devices that offer value-added features to lure the 200 million potential smartphones users in India. As consumers become more tech-savvy by the day, there is a compelling need for industry players to understand the market and be innovative in their product offering to secure their share in the smartphone market.

Links to coverage:

CXO Today: http://www.cxotoday.com/story/why-is-india-an-android-country/

Comments

Spire speaks on ICT sector at the GATES Vietnam ICT Channel Summit in Da Nang

Spire was honored to participate in the GATES Vietnam ICT Channel Summit 2019 as Event Partner. The Summit was held on 11-13 December, in Da Nang. Japnit Singh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Group, shared his insights on scope and opportunities. Japnit discussed how the ICT sector in Vietnam holds lucrative opportunities. The country boasts the fastest growing economy in South-East Asia with around 13% GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth for manufacturing from FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in 2018. With the 4th fastest download speed in ASEAN, Vietnam’s digital economy continues to grow. E-commerce growth is expected to be 14% from 2019 to 2023, with 97% of online purchases executed through mobile phones. The government’s Digital Economy 2020 plan aims to promote smart cities across the country by 2030. Regulatory reform aims to ease digitization in the government and encourage local businesses to adopt technology. To that end, the government plans to is...

The Trump Presidency: One year on

One year since President Trump took office, what has been the impact for businesses in Asia? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 27 November 2017 on the impact on global economy. Thus far, Donald Trump’s Presidency has not been bad for the American stock market and the US dollar. However, the expected infrastructure spending and tax cuts, which drove stock market exuberance in 2016, are still far from being realized and could well be at risk. Perera opined that President Trump’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has caused a strain in global trade relations and has raised the risk of trade frictions. President Trump has also overseen a decline in US influence in the Middle East and Asia. However, the basic fundamentals of the US economy remain strong thanks to its world-class universities, innovative companies, confident consumers, a strong start-up sector as well ...

Spire speaks to US firms about Southeast Asia’s Silver market

Spire was honored to participate in a webinar organized by the US Commerce Department as well as Muziyi Advisory, the organizers of the ELDEX event. Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting group, shared his insights on the growing “silver” market opportunities in Southeast Asia. Leon shared that the number of persons aged 65 and above is projected to double by 2035 across several ASEAN countries, with Indonesia expected to have the largest elderly population of around 30 million, double its current elderly population. The fastest ageing markets in the region are Singapore and Thailand followed by Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines. The Asia-Pacific region is the world’s third largest region in terms of “silver” product and service revenue, but the fastest growing one. With an annual growth rate of 15 per cent, Asia is ranked among the top three nursing care markets in the world. Improving the social security system, enhancing th...

E-Bikes are gaining ground around the world, amidst controversy

12 million electric vehicles, including over 40 million electric bikes, are expected to cover the streets of the world by 2025. While E-bikes are efficient and minimize carbon footprint, safety concerns have been raised in countries like France and Singapore. Are e-bikes the answer to congested roads? Read more: https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/e-bikes-are-gaining-ground-around-the-world-amidst-controversy/

Robots : Changing industries, expanding possibilities

Robots are now prevalent across many industries, not only heavy manufacturing. Today’s robots are more precise and can be controlled remotely, which is why there is a preference for them over error-prone humans in some parts of the services industry. With over 179,000 industrial robots sold worldwide in 2013, robots are now set to conquer a new arena – the household. What is a robot? The first thing that comes to mind when the word robot is uttered is a machine that imitates a human being, such as the androids from Hollywood’s Star Wars or Terminator movies. The reality, though, is that the hundreds of thousands of industrial robots operating in the world resemble high-tech machinery more than high-tech humanoids. A robot is defined as a programmable, self-controlled device with electrical, electronic or mechanical units. Robots have some advantages over humans when it comes to work – they have better physical endurance and are more adept at working under uncomfortable or da...

The Knowledge to Decide

Search This Blog