India’s smartphone market had a slow start to 2026. According to a new report by Counterpoint Research, shipments in the January to March quarter dropped by 3% compared to the same period last year. This makes it the weakest first quarter in the last six years.
Despite the slowdown, vivo remained the top brand with a 20.8% market share. Samsung followed with 17.4%, while OPPO secured the third spot with 13.6%. Apple captured 9% of the market, followed by Realme at 8.9% and Xiaomi at 7.9%. Other brands like POCO (4.2%), iQOO (2.6%), and OnePlus (1.8%) also contributed to the overall market.
Among the top five brands, OPPO recorded the fastest growth at 8% year-on-year. This growth was driven by strong demand for its A and K series in the budget and mid-range segments. The Reno series also performed well in the mid-range category.
Xiaomi also showed signs of recovery, especially in the ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 price segment, where it reported double-digit growth. This indicates that demand still exists in the value segment, but it is becoming more selective.
One of the biggest surprises came from Nothing. Including its CMF sub-brand, the company recorded a massive 47% growth. This shows that newer brands with a different approach to design and marketing are gaining attention.
In the premium segment above ₹45,000, Google emerged as the fastest-growing brand with 39% growth. This suggests that more users are now willing to spend on premium smartphones, especially for better software experience and camera performance.
I don’t think the situation is going to improve soon. Counterpoint expects a double-digit decline in the second quarter compared to last year. For the full year, the market could shrink by around 10%.
There are a few reasons behind this slowdown. Rising memory prices are making smartphones more expensive. At the same time, demand in the entry-level segment remains weak. Many users are also holding onto their devices for longer, which is slowing down replacement cycles.
The Indian smartphone market is clearly maturing. Growth is no longer driven by new users. So brands now need to focus on convincing existing users to upgrade. There is also a shift in segment. Premium smartphones are growing faster, while entry-level demand is slowing down. This shows that consumers are either delaying purchases or moving towards higher-value devices.
The strong growth of brands like Nothing and Google also indicates that users are open to trying new brands if they offer something different.
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