Samsung beats Nokia to take No.1 spot in Indian mobile phone market

Kolkata: The Indian mobile handset market has grown by 14.17 per cent year-on-year to Rs 35,946 crore in 2012-2013, on the back of increasing sale of smartphones, according to a survey.

The 18th annual survey 'V&D 100' said that the Indian mobile handset market posted a revenue of Rs 35,946 crore in 2012-2013, compared to Rs 31,330 crore in the earlier fiscal year.

It further said Korean electronics behemoth Samsung has taken the top position in the country replacing Nokia.

The Finnish handset maker had been holding fort in the Indian market for over a decade.

Samsung's rise in India was attributed to its rich product portfolio catering to customers of all categories.

The company's handset prices ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 50,000 in varied screen sizes, besides product quality and new features, helped the company grab customers' attention, the survey report said.

Samsung ended the year with a revenue of Rs 11,328 crore compared to Rs 7,891 crore last year showing a growth of 43.6 per cent. The company also became the market leader with a 31.5 per cent market share.

Nokia was down by a rank to be placed at number two in the Voice&Data survey with a 27.2 per cent market share following a significant 18 per cent drop in revenue, the report showed.

In the 12 months ended March 2013, Nokia's revenue from Indian operations was placed at Rs 9,780 crore compared to Rs 11,925 crore in the last financial year, it added.

"The rise of smaller local players like Micromax, Karbonn, Lava and Zen was a clear indication that consumers wanted cheaper feature phones. The next phase of mobile penetration in India, now at the bottom of the pyramid, will be driven by these companies," says Ibrahim Ahmad, Group Editor, Voice&Data.

Homegrown handset company Micromax captured the number three position among V&D100 Top10 mobile handset brands for FY'13 and enjoyed a market share of 8.7 per cent and earned revenue of Rs 3,138 crore.

Closing in was Karbonn Mobiles, the company among the Indian handset players that grew most consistently.

In 2012-2013, Karbonn grew 73.1 per cent to register revenue of Rs 2,297 crore, with market share of 6.4 per cent, compared to Rs 1,327 crore in the last financial year, it said.

The iconic Apple posted a revenue of Rs 1,293 crore in FY 2013 in the country compared to Rs 250 crore in the previous financial year, occupying the fifth place, the survey report added.