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Mobile phone landscape:

India H1 2016
Launch and search trends

Nitansh Rastogi, Correspondent

BIG
TRENDS

Is the industry reaching

saturation point?
 The number of phone launches reduced for the first time in
three years

Number of phone launches

1000

800

600

400 857
648 606
492
200

0
H1 2013 H1 2014 H1 2015 H1 2016

3
 The number of brands competing in the market increased,
but only marginally

Number of brands operating in the market

140

120

100

80

127 132
60

40
67 73

20

0
H1 2013 H1 2014 H1 2015 H1 2016

4
 The mid-range segment (Rs 10k-20k) got the most eyeballs

Most popular price segments as per user views in H1 2016

Above Rs 30k Below Rs 5k
7% 11%

Rs 20k-30k
8%

Rs 5k-10k
31%

Rs 10k-20k
42%

5
 Phone launches declined in all price ranges except the
above Rs 30k segment
Number of phone launches across price segments
700

600
605

500

400 425

300

200

169
100
102
51 50 17 12 15 17
0
Below Rs 5k Rs 5k-10k Rs 10k-20k Rs 20k-30k Above Rs 30k

H1 2015 H1 2016

6
 The entry-level (under Rs 5k) and mid-range (Rs 10-20k)
segments saw the most increase in user interest

Popularity of price segments as per user views (H1 2015 vs H1 2016)

100%
5% 7% Above Rs 30k 140%
90% 12% 8%
Rs 20k-30k 66%
80%

70%
33%
42%
60% Rs 10k-20k 127%
50%

40%

30%
Rs 5k-10k 67%
46% 31%
20%

10% Below Rs 5k 275%

11%
0% 4%
H1 2015 H1 2016

7
 The entry-level segment (under Rs 5k) has grown the fastest
First time buyers driving demand?
User views by price point (H1 2015) User views by price point (H1 2016)

Below Rs 5k Below Rs
4% 5k
11%

Above Above
Rs 5k Rs 5k
96% 89%

8
 Top 10 most popular phone brands in H1 2016
signs of shake-up in the traditional pecking order

Popularity Brand Change in the brand’s

Rank in 2016 rank from H1 2015
1 Samsung 0

2 Lenovo 2 Brands that exited from the

top 10 list
3 Xiaomi 2
Brand Rank in H1
4 Micromax 2 2015
Sony 6
5 HTC 2
Nokia 8
6 ASUS 1
Lava 10
7 LeEco * New entrant

8 Intex 0

9 Coolpad New entrant

10 Gionee 1

*LeEco is the only brand to make it to the top 10, in its debut year
9
 Share of voice of popular brands in H1’16 vs H1’15
most brands except the top 3 are facing the heat

Top brands in terms of user views in H1 2015 vs H1 2016

20.0%
17.9%
18.0%

16.0%
13.9%
14.0%

12.0% 11.6%
11.2%

10.0% 9.5%
8.1%
8.0% 7.7%
7.3%

6.0% 5.4%
4.8%
4.5% 4.0%
3.9%
4.0% 3.3% 3.3% 3.1% 3.0% 2.6%

2.0%

0.0%
Samsung Lenovo Xiaomi Micromax HTC ASUS LeEco Intex Coolpad Gionee

H1 2015 H1 2016

10
 In the midst of increasing competition, the top 3 brands are
pulling away from the pack

Share of user views for top 3 Share of user views for top 3
brands vs others brands vs others
(H1 2015) (H1 2016)

Top 3
32%
Top 3
41%

Rest
59%

Rest
68%

11
 Fragmentation in the market reduces with increase in price
point, as fewer brands are able to compete
Split of user searches across price points (H1 2016)
100%

90% 19%
33%
80% 41% 45%
70%
55%

60%

50%

40% 81%
67%
30% 59% 55%
20%
45%

10%

0%
Below Rs 5k Rs 5k-10k Rs 10k-20k Rs 20k-30k Above Rs 30k
Share of top 5 brands in the segment Share of other brands

12
 Top 5 gainers: brands that grew most in popularity vs. last year
OPPO is the fastest growing brand
% growth in user views in H1 2016 over H1 2015
450%

400% 387%

350%

300%

250%
217%
200%

150%
119%
100% 73%
50% 40%

0%
OPPO vivo Xiaomi Motorola OnePlus

Note: Brands like LeEco and Coolpad were not present in the market in H1 2015, and hence
weren’t part of this analysis

13
 Top 5 brands that declined in popularity
Yesteryear’s popular brands are dying a slow death, while
Micromax’s YU has been unable to repeat its success this year
% fall in user views in H1 2016 over H1 2015

Nokia Blackberry Microsoft YU Karbonn

0%

-10%

-20%

-30%

-40%

-50%
-49%
-60%
-53%
-60% -59%
-70%

-80%

-90% -87%
-100%

14
 The Chinese offensive: popularity share of Chinese-origin
brands doubled at the expense of others

Share of user views by brand origin Share of user views by brand origin
(H1 2015) (H1 2016)

Indian Indian
brands Other brands
28% International 20%
Other brands
International 36%
brands
50%
Chinese
Chinese
brands
brands
22%
44%

Indian brands – brands originated from India such as Micromax, Intex and Lava
Chinese brands – brands originated from China such as Lenovo, Xiaomi and Gionee
Other International brands – brands apart from the above two such as Samsung, HTC and Sony

15
 Top 10 Chinese brands: Lenovo and Xiaomi dominate… for
now

Popularity Rank Brand % share of user

among Chinese views among all
brands Chinese brands
1 Lenovo 27.6%

2 Xiaomi 26.6%

3 LeEco 7.9%

4 Coolpad 7.0%

5 Gionee 7.0%

6 OPPO 5.5%

7 Vivo 3.7%

8 OnePlus 2.7%

9 Honor 1.6%

10 Meizu 1.2%

16
 Change in distribution models: most online-only brands are
moving offline

Top 5 online-only brands in H1 2015 and their distribution strategy

S. No. Brand Distribution model in H1 Distribution model in H1

2015 2016

1 Xiaomi Online-only Started moving offline

2 ASUS Online-only Started moving offline

3 Motorola Online-only Started moving offline

4 YU Online-only Started moving offline

5 OnePlus Online-only Online-only

OnePlus is the only major brand holding firm to its online-only model

17
 Change in distribution models: traditional brands are joining
the online-only bandwagon

S. No. Brand Distribution model in H1 Distribution model in H1

2015 2016

Traditional model, plus a few

1 Samsung Offline + Online
online-only launches

Traditional model, plus a few

2 Lenovo Offline + Online
online-only launches

Traditional model, plus a few

3 Micromax Offline + Online
online-only launches

4 HTC Offline + Online Offline + Online

5 Intex Offline + Online Offline + Online

18
 The chart toppers – the top three most popular phones in
H1 2016

#1
#2
#3

Xiaomi Redmi
Note 3 Lenovo K4 Note
Price: Rs 11,999 Price: Rs 11,999 Samsung Galaxy J7
Launched in: Launched in: Price: Rs 14,999
Mar 2016 Jan 2016 Launched in:
Jul 2015

On the basis of popularity on 91mobiles.com

19
BRAND
EQUITY
What the brands were up to in H1 2016 >
 Phone launches by brands in the entry-level segment
(below Rs 5k): Indian brands lead the charge

Top brands by number of phone launches in the sub-Rs 5k segment (in H1 2016)

31

22
21
20
18
15
14 14

10
8

Intex Videocon Lava Micromax Zen Karbonn Sansui iBall Adcom Jivi
mobiles

Indian brands International brands

21
 Phone launches by brands in the budget (Rs 5k-10k)
segment: International brands are making their presence felt

Top brands by number of phone launches between Rs 5,000 and 10,000 (in H1 2016)

11
10

5
4 4 4
3 3 3

Intex Lava Micromax Panasonic iBall Videocon InFocus Karbonn Gionee ASUS

Indian brands International brands

22
 Phone launches by brands above Rs 10,000: international
brands dominate

Top brands by number of phone launches above Rs 10,000 (in H1 2016)

6 6 6

4 4 4

3 3 3

Samsung HTC Lenovo Motorola Gionee LG LeEco OPPO vivo Zopo

Indian brands International brands

23
 Shift in strategy: Top-tier brands are focusing their might on
fewer device launches
No of phones launched by key brands in H1 2015 and H1 2016

Samsung Lenovo Micromax

Above Rs 30k
6 0 0
4 0 0

Rs 20k-30k
2 0 0
2 0 0

Rs 10k-20k
7 2 4
2 6 2 H1 2015

H1 2016
Rs 5k-10k
5 6 9
1 1 8

Below Rs 5k
1 0 27
0 0 20

0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 10 20 30

24
 Most popular brands in the entry-level segment (below Rs
5k)
Top brands in the below Rs 5k segment (in terms of % of user searches)
Micromax
15%

Intex
10%

Others
55%
Karbonn
7%

Lava
6%

Samsung
6%

25
 Most popular brands in the budget segment (Rs 5k-10k)

Top brands in the Rs 5k-10k segment (in terms of % of user searches)

Samsung
20%

Others
41%

Micromax
14%

Xiaomi
9%
Lenovo Coolpad
7% 9%

26
 Most popular brands in the mid-range segment (Rs 10k-
20k)
Top brands in the Rs 10k-20k segment (in terms of % of user searches)
Lenovo
21%

Others
45%

Xiaomi
19%

Samsung
ASUS LeEco 14%
5% 6%

27
 Most popular brands in the premium segment (Rs 20k-30k)

Top brands in the Rs 20k-30k segment (in terms of % of user searches)

Others Samsung
33% 34%

OPPO
6%
HTC
16%
Sony
10% OnePlus
11%

28
 Most popular brands in the super-premium segment (above
Rs 30k): Samsung and Apple dominate
Top brands above Rs 30k (in terms of % of user searches)
Others
19%

Samsung
34%

Sony
10%

HTC
10%

LeEco Apple
10% 18%

29
DEVICE
POPULARITY
CHARTS

Find out which devices ruled the roost >

 Top 10 devices in H1 2015: budget and mid-range
smartphones got the most eyeballs
Top 10 devices in H1 2016 in terms of user views

Percentage
Rank Mobile name Price band share among Launched in
top 10 devices
1 Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 10-20k 28% Mar 2016
2 Lenovo K4 Note 10k-20k 15% Jan 2016
3 Samsung Galaxy J7 10k-20k 12% July 2015
4 LeEco Le 1s 10k-20k 9% Feb 2016
5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 16GB 5k-10k 7% Mar 2016
6 Samsung Galaxy On7 5k-10k 7% Nov 2015
7 Samsung Galaxy J5 5k-10k 6% July 2015
8 Lenovo K3 Note 10k-20k 6% June 2015
9 Coolpad Note 3 10k-20k 5% Oct 2015
10 Coolpad Note 3 lite 5k-10k 5% Jan 2016

The Redmi Note 3 got more searches than the next two devices combined

31
 Most popular devices in the Rs 5-10k segment: Xiaomi
leads, but Coolpad is making a mark as well

Top 5 most popular devices in the Rs 5,000 – 10,000 segment in H1 2016

#1
#2
#3
#4
#5

Xiaomi Redmi
Note 3 16GB Samsung
Launched in: Galaxy On7 Coolpad
Mar 2016 Launched in: Note 3 Coolpad
Nov 2015 Launched in: Note 3 Lite Samsung
Oct 2015 Launched in: Galaxy J2
Jan 2016 Launched in:
Sept 2015

32
 Most popular devices in the Rs 10-20k segment: Xiaomi,
Lenovo & Samsung dominate

Top 5 most popular devices in the Rs 10,000 – 20,000 segment in H1 2016

#2 #1
#3
#4
#5

Xiaomi Redmi
Lenovo K4 Note 3 32GB
Samsung Note Launched in:
LeEco Le 1s Galaxy J7 Launched in: Jan 2016
Samsung Launched in: Launched in: Jan 2016
Galaxy J5 Jan 2016 Jul 2015
Launched in:
Jul 2016

33
 Most popular devices in the Rs 20-30k segment: Samsung
dominates

Top 5 most popular devices in the Rs 20,000 – 30,000 segment in H1 2016

#1
#2
#3
#4
#5

Samsung Galaxy
A5 (2016) Samsung
Launched in: Galaxy A8 Samsung
Feb 2016 Launched in: Galaxy A7 HTC Desire
Aug 2015 (2016) 826 OnePlus 2
Launched in: Launched in: Launched in:
Feb 2016 Apr 2015 Aug 2015

34
 Most popular devices priced above Rs 30k: Samsung &
Apple dominate; LeEco makes a mark in its debut year

Top 5 most popular devices above Rs. 30,000 in H1 2016

#2 #1
#3
#4
#5

Samsung
LeEco Le Max Galaxy S7
Apple iPhone Launched in: Launched in:
LG G5 Feb 2016 Mar 2016
6S
Apple iPhone Launched in: Launched in:
6 Jun 2016 Oct 2015
Launched in:
Oct 2014

35