Overview
- Omdia’s data published Oct. 20–21 shows India shipped 35.8 million smartphones in Q3 2026, a 26% year‑on‑year drop and the weakest third‑quarter volume since 2016.
- Samsung regained the top spot with 6.7 million units, while Vivo fell 34% to 6.4 million, Xiaomi dropped 28% to 4.7 million, OPPO shipped 4.9 million and Apple shipped 3.9 million.
- Omdia and analysts say higher memory and component costs raised handset bills of materials, which forced brands to raise prices and cut shipments to channels ahead of the festive season.
- Channel dynamics shifted as a later Diwali moved some stocking into October, online-focused festive volumes shrank, and vendors pushed pricier models, financing deals and upgrade programmes to sustain sales.
- Omdia expects another low‑single‑digit market contraction in 2027 with pricing pressure lasting into at least the first half of the year, while consumers hold phones longer and retailers keep leaner inventories.