OnePlus overtook Samsung to become the #1 premium brand in India in 2019

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It seems like Samsung is having a tough time in the Indian market despite seeing significant growth in market share in Q4 2019. Late last month, Counterpoint Research’s Q4 2019 Market Monitor report revealed that the company had lost ground to Chinese OEM Vivo in the country. As per the report, Vivo saw a 76% YoY growth in 2019 and 132% YoY in just Q4 2019, which helped it capture a market share of 21% in the last quarter. Samsung, on the other hand, slid down to the third place, with a 19% market share. Now, a separate report from Counterpoint Research claims that Samsung also took a hit in the premium smartphone segment, with OnePlus moving up to claim the top spot.

The report reveals that India’s smartphone shipment in the premium segment (≥₹30,000 or around $420) grew 29% YoY, reaching a record high in 2019. OnePlus capitalized on this growth with its OnePlus 7/7T series and its shipments grew 28% YoY. This helped the company capture a third of India’s premium smartphone segment. The company also became the first-ever premium smartphone brand to cross two million shipments in a year last year. Additionally, OnePlus’ ultra-premium devices (≥₹45,000 or around $632) helped OnePlus’ portfolio grow 25%, with the OnePlus 7 Pro at the helm.

As a result, Samsung slid to the second spot and saw a decline of 2% YoY in the premium segment. Its Galaxy S10 Plus was the top-selling flagship in 2019, irrespective of the availability of cheaper variants like the Galaxy S10e. Due to this, Samsung’s ultra-premium smartphone shipments grew by 24% YoY and the segment’s contribution to Samsung’s overall premium shipment reached 79%, compared to 62% in 2018. In response to the decline, Samsung recently launched the Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite, which offer premium specifications at a relatively affordable price.

Source: Counterpoint Research