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Mobile phone landscape: India 2013
Launch and search trends
Nitansh Rastogi, Correspondent
About 91mobiles and this report
91mobiles is a leading research and comparison website for mobile phones in India The 91mobiles catalogue contains over 15,000 devices launched since the website’s inception in 2010; includes practically every mobile phone launched in India over the last 2-3 years Over 25 million people visited 91mobiles in 2013 and browsed over 125 million pages to research mobile phones & tablets
This report provides insights pertaining to mobile phone launches in 2013, their specifications, search trends seen on 91mobiles, and an outlook for 2014
2
Report Outline
1
Mobile phone launch trends in 2013 A year that saw a high growth in phone launches, the growing role of Indian brands, and an upward shift in the value chain by users and vendors alike Specifications we saw in 2013 in mobile phones Devices evolved in (almost) all aspects, but some trends stood out. Indian brands managed to catch-up with international brands in hardware specs, barring a few high-end features User choices revealed! The most popular devices and brands based on user searches on 91mobiles.com The tablet landscape in 2013 Thriving market, but only in some segments Looking ahead to 2014 A sneak peek at the brands, trends, and technologies to look forward to in 2014 Methodology and disclaimers
2
3
4
5
6
3
PHONE LAUNCHES
A few surprising, and some not-so surprising findings >
Phone launches nearly doubled in 2013 as compared to 2012
957
Total phone launches in 2013
85%
growth
515
Total phone launches in 2012
68 brands in India
48 Indian brands
|
20 International brands
5
Indian brands account for almost 70% of mobile devices launched in 2013
Relative share of mobile phones launched by Indian & international brands in 2012 and 2013
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40%
40%
32%
60%
68%
30%
20% 10% 0%
2012 Indian brands
2013 International brands
6
Affordable segment (Rs 5k-15k) saw the most action in 2013 in terms of phone launches
Mobile phone launches by price segment in 2012 vs 2013
100%
90%
80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%
5% 5% 21%
High-end phones (> Rs 25k) Mid-range phones (15k-25k)
5% 6%
32%
40%
Affordable phones (Rs 5k-15k)
38%
29% 60%
Feature phones (Rs 2k-5k)
68% 22%
20%
10% 0%
40%
Basic phones (below Rs 2k)
29%
2012
Below Rs 2k Rs 2k-5k Rs 5k-15k Rs 15k-25k
2013
Above Rs 25k
7
Indian brands are shifting towards higher price segments in 2013
Price-wise distribution of phone launches by Indian brands in 2012 vs 2013
Below Rs 2k
151 207
40% 32%
37% growth
Rs 2k-5k
90 146
60%
62% growth
Rs 5k-15k
49
68%
212
333% growth
Rs 15k-25k
1 17
0
1600% growth
50
100 2012 2013
150
200
250
Note: Data represented for 582 launches in 2013 and 291 launches in 2012 by Indian brands, for which pricing details are avai lable
8
How key brands distribute their launches across price categories – differing focus areas
Price-wise distribution of phone launches by key brands in 2013
80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 0% < Rs 5k Rs 5k-15k Rs 15k-25k 69%
• • 40% • •
Samsung - Present across segments, but large # of launches in the popular Rs 5k-15k segment. Nokia - Distributed across segments. Sony- All eggs in the premium 32%basket. Micromax - Dominates the low-end, but moving upwards fast.
46% 42% 36% 39% 60%
68%
33% 25% 25% 19% 25% 19% 23%
15% 6% 0% Above Rs 25k
Samsung
Nokia
Sony
Micromax
9
Indian brands dominate in number of phone launches
- Samsung is the only international brand to find a spot in the top 10
Top 10 brands with highest number of launches in 2013
65 65
63 59 57 54
36
34
33
33
INTEX
KARBONN
LAVA + XOLO
MICROMAX
CELKON
MAXX
VIDEOCON
LEMON MOBILES
SAMSUNG
SPICE
Indian brands’ domination in total phone launches driven by large number of under Rs 2k devices, as well as due to the fact that Android is a great leveller in the affordable smartphone segment
10
International brands are kings of the Rs 15,000+ price band; no Indian brand in the top 10
Top 10 brands with highest number of launches above Rs 15,000 (In 2013)
12 11
7 6 6 6 5
3
3
3
SAMSUNG
HTC
SONY
LG
NOKIA
LENOVO
APPLE BLACKBERRY GIONEE
HUAWEI
11
Brands with the maximum growth in launches in the year 2013: Lava is the biggest gainer
Launches by brands in year 2012 vs 2013
LAVA + XOLO
8
Lava: 6, XOLO: 2
63 Lava: 38, XOLO: 25 6 19
LENOVO
MAXX
18
54 23 57 27
CELKON
INTEX
0 10 20
65
30 40 50 60 70
2012
2013
Lava seems to be doing well with its dual brand strategy, with the mid-range segment under the ‘XOLO’ brand, and feature phones under the Lava brand
Note: Graph features brands with highest % growth in launches from 2012 to 2013, among brands with at least 5 launches in 2012
12
Brands with fewer number of launches in 2013 as compared to 2012
Launches by brands in year 2012 vs 2013
30
25
24
20
18 16 16 12 9
15
11
10
5
1
0
WYNCOMM
AKAI
SONY
HTC
2012
2013
While fall in number of launches may be an indicator of competitive pressures, fewer launches from Sony may be due to a conscious change in the company’s strategy after breaking its partnership with Ericsson in 2012.
13
SPEC-TALK
Specs we saw in mobile phones in 2013 >
Age of giants – 10x growth in phablet launches
(We define ‘Phablets’ as devices with screen sizes more than 5-inches and lower than 7-inches)
Phablet launches in 2012 vs 2013
Phablet launches by price segment, in 2013
60
53
50 40
6
BELOW RS 15K
24 9
30 20
>10x increase
RS 15K-25K
5 9
10 0
5
NUMBER OF DEVICES
ABOVE RS 25K
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
2012
2013
International brands
Indian brands
Interestingly, while Samsung kickstarted the large screen trend, Indian brands have taken them to the masses with a wider and more affordable range on offer
15
Phones became more powerful thanks to quad-core processors
Quad-core devices launched
7 in 2012
|
129 in 2013
Quad-core phone launches in 2012 vs 2013
0
INDIAN BRANDS
60
7
INTERNATIONAL BRANDS
69
0 20 40 60 80
Chinese company MediaTek’s affordable quad-core processor is leveling the playing field and allowing Indian brands to offer budget quad-core devices
2012
2013
16
Smartphone meets camera - the megapixel wars continued and 8-13MP cameras became the norm
# of phone launches by camera resolution in 2012 vs 2013
61
5-8MP
> 2.5x growth
158
43
8-13MP
166
> 4x growth
5
13MP AND ABOVE
43
0 20 40
> 8x growth
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
2012
2013
Indian brands kept pace with International brands in the camera resolution department
17
Dual-SIM phenomenon growing, but at a slower pace; Indian brands continue to dominate
Dual-SIM devices in 2012 vs 2013
600
534 96 362 64 438 298
500
400
300
200
100
0
2012 Indian brands
2013 International brands
In 2012, 70% of devices launched were dual-SIM, vs. 55% in 2013
18
3G adoption on the rise: 3G device launches increase by 2.5x, lead by Indian brands
3G-enabled devices launched in 2012 and 2013
155
100% 90% 80%
385 41%
61%
70%
60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
Cheapest 3G device in 2013 – Micromax A30 Smarty 3.0 (Rs 3,999)
59% 39% Cheapest 3G device in 2012 – Celkon A95 (Rs 5,999)
2012 Indian brands
2013 International brands
In 2013, 40% of all the devices launched were 3G capable, up from 30% in the year 2012
19
International brands score high on innovation and premium features: full HD displays & svelte design
Full HD devices launched in 2013 ‘Thin’ devices launched in 2013
Indian brands
Indian brands
36%
International brands International brands
33%
64%
67%
Total - 39
39 smartphones with full HD resolution in 2013 vs only one (HTC Butterfly) in 2012
Total - 24
24 smartphones with ‘ultra -thin’ casings (8mm or less) in 2013, as against just four in 2012
20
Android still on warpath, being the only smartphone OS in use by Indian brands
Mobile phone launches in 2013 segregated by OS
39%
Others
59%
Android
Windows Phone iOS
BlackBerry OS
‘Others’ includes basic phones and feature phones (proprietary OS, Nokia Asha OS, Java platform, etc.)
21
Spec milestones: Devices that set new benchmarks
RAM 3GB Samsung Galaxy Note 3 LARGEST DISPLAY THINNEST SMARTPHONE
6.18mm Huawei Ascend P6
6.44-inches Sony Xperia Z Ultra
LARGEST BATTERY
4,050mAh battery Huawei Ascend Mate
PROCESSOR
Octa-core Exynos Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3
PROCESSOR
64-bit computing Apple iPhone 5S
CAMERA
41-megapixels Nokia Lumia 1020
22
Feature milestones
MOTION SENSING
M7 co-processor Apple iPhone 5S
SECURITY
Fingerprint sensor (Touch ID) Apple iPhone 5S
MULTIMEDIA
Boom Sound HTC One
MOTION SENSING
Step Counter Google Nexus 5
23
USER’S CHOICES 2013
Based on over 125 million page views on 91mobiles.com >
Most popular brands in 2013 – the usual suspects
Brand
SAMSUNG
Total # of models in the market 160
% of page views in 2013 20.9%
MICROMAX
SONY
170
55
12.0%
8.3%
NOKIA
KARBONN
120
148
8.0%
6.2%
APPLE
LAVA
20
75
4.0%
3.5%
Note: Popularity by page views in 2013 for all devices of a brand, including prior launches
25
The mid-range / value-for-money 5k-15k segment most popular with users
Page views for devices based on different price segments
> Rs 35k Rs 25- Rs 35k < Rs 2k
3% 7%
4%
11%
Rs 15k-25k
Rs 2k-5k
25%
50%
Rs 5k-15k
26
Most searched phones in the budget range (Rs 5k-15k): Micromax and Samsung rule the segment
#1
Samsung Galaxy S Duos
Launched in: Sept 2012
#2
Micromax A110 Superfone Canvas 2
Launched in: Nov 2012
#3
Micromax A116 Canvas HD
Launched in: Feb 2013
#4 #5
Nokia Lumia 520
Launched in: Mar 2013
Samsung Galaxy Core
Launched in: Jun 2013
27
Most searched phones in the mid-range segment (Rs 15k-25k): a mixed lot spanning different brands
#1
Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos
Launched in: Jan 2013
#2
Sony Xperia C
Launched in: Oct 2013
#3
Micromax Canvas 4
Launched in: July 2013
#4
Sony Xperia L
Launched in: May 2013
#5
Nokia Lumia 720
Launched in: Mar 2013
28
Most searched phones in the high-end segment (Rs 25k-35k): price reduction sweetened the deals
#1
Sony Xperia Z
Launched in: March 2013
#2
Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Launched in: Sept 2012
#3
Samsung Galaxy S3
Launched in: May 2012
#4
Nokia Lumia 920
Launched in: January 2013
#5
BlackBerry Z10
Launched in: Feb 2013
Most devices in this list are former flagship devices that retained, or even further grew in popularity long after their launch, by virtue of price drops
29
Most searched phones in the premium segment (above Rs 35k): Samsung and Apple rule the roost
#1
Samsung Galaxy S4
Launched in: Apr 2013
#2
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Launched in: Sept 2013
#3
Apple iPhone 5S
Launched in: Nov 2013
#4
Apple iPhone 5C
Launched in: Nov 2013
#5
HTC One
Launched in: Apr 2013
30
Editor’s picks: the game changers
Micromax A116 Canvas HD
Consolidated Micromax's stronghold in the above Rs. 10k price band, and challenged higher priced phones like the Samsung Galaxy Grand, by virtue of the specs it packed.
Nokia Lumia 520
With affordable pricing, the Lumia 520 became Nokia’s best bet against the onslaught of Android smartphones, making it the most popular windows phone. It also bolstered Microsoft’s WP8 market share.
31
Editor’s picks: the game changers
Google Nexus 5 Moto G
Soon to be launched in India, the Moto G is expected to raise the bar for specs & quality budget smartphones are expected to offer Continued the legacy of providing superb hardware and stock Android at an affordable price tag. At Rs. 28,999, the specs offered in the device are only matched by the devices in the Rs 35k price range
Gionee Elife E6
The Gionee Elife E6 changed the negative image of Chinese brands. Reasonably high specs and a distinctive design made it quite noteworthy
32
TABLETS:
Still a lot of ground to cover
Notable observations >
Tablet launches increased in 2013, but not at the same pace as mobiles
194
Total tablet launches in 2013
172
13%
growth
Total tablet launches in 2012
61 brands in India
50 Indian brands
|
11 International brands
34
Indian brands dominate in launches, but not growing as much as international brands
Number of tablets launched in India in 2013 vs 2012
140
3% growth
120
125
100
129 Greater move towards ‘phablets’ also a possible reason for the relative lack of vibrancy in the tablets market.
80
60
65 47
40
20
0
International brands 2012 2013
Indian brands
35
Budget tablets occupy a large chunk of the overall launches, with Indian brands dominating the segment
Tablet launches by price segment (2013) Tablet launches in 2013
6%
Below Rs 10k
94%
22%
Rs 10k-20k
58% 20%
Above Rs 20k Below Rs 10k
Rs 10k-20k
63% 68%
37% 32%
Above Rs 20k
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Indian brands
International brands
36
The small-screen tablet segment is growing in terms of launches
Number of tablets launched, segregated by screen size
160 140 120
151
124
100 80 60 40 20 0
48
While there is an increase in the number of tablets launched with 7-8 inch screen size, larger tablets actually witnessed negative growth in 2013
43
Small screen size (7-8 inch)
Large screen size (Above 8-inch)
2012
2013
37
Limited diversity in high-end tablets: Apple killed the above Rs 20k segment
Apple has raised the bar very high
Has sustained first-mover advantage. Better ecosystem for tablet-optimised apps and accessories. The iPad Air is thinner (7.5mm) and lighter (469g) compared to peers.
Limited Competition
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Sony Xperia Tablet Z
38
A look at the most popular tablets in 2013 in the under Rs 15k segment
SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 2 7.0
Launched in April 2013
GOOGLE NEXUS 7
#1
Launched in Nov 2012
#3
HCL ME U1
#2
Launched in Aug 2012
MICROMAX FUNBOOK TALK
Launched in Oct 2012
#4
#5
MICROMAX FUNBOOK INFINITY
Launched in Sept 2012
39
LOOKING AHEAD TO
2014
What this year holds for us >
Deepak Dhingra, Editor
Mobile devices from 2013 that set the trend for what’s to come in 2014
Octa-core processors High-resolution cameras
Apple iPhone 5s
Nokia Lumia 1020
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
64-bit SoC
Samsung Galaxy Gear
Flexible displays Wearable devices
High-resolution displays
LG G Flex
Vivo Xplay 3s
These device were launched in the year 2013, but have paved the way for devices of this year. Read more about what trends these devices have set.
41
The way you interact with your smartphone could change in 2014
Gesture controls Voice commands
Contextual computing
Fingerprint sensors
Touchscreens might become passé, as device manufacturers are devising innovative ways of interacting with devices. Click here to know more.
42
Top 5 mobile phone brands to look out for in 2014
Trailing numero uno brand Samsung, Micromax offers a wide range of devices at affordable price points, and now the company is also going global. Within an year of its entry into the Indian market, the company has launched a slew of quality devices across different segments at attractive prices. Oppo is planning to enter India soon and its devices are getting a lot of praise for innovative features coupled with superb configurations. Xolo never shies away from taking risks. From partnering with Intel to Nvidia and Broadcom, the manufacturer continues to innovate. Xiaomi has confirmed that it’s planning to go global and its powerful devices and economical pricing will surely give it huge boost in price-sensitive markets like India. Read our take on these manufacturers.
43
Editor’s comments
Curved displays and wearables In the high-end segment, innovations like curved / flexible screens, wearables and super high-resolution displays will make news
Redefining value for money Upcoming devices like Motorola’s Moto G, Nokia’s rumoured Android phone (Normandy) and the Nexus series may re-define ‘value-formoney’ in a price sensitive market like India
44
Editor’s comments
Rise of Windows
After Android, many Indian brands (Micromax and XOLO) are contemplating devices running Microsoft’s Windows. In the mobile space, Windows Phone 8 will cement its position as a strong third alternative to Android and iOS.
Octa-core processors will go mainstream MediaTek’s MT6592 SoC will be the platform of choice for quite a few brands, especially those from India and will help bring octa-core chips to the masses.
45
Editor’s comments
Newer form factors, hybrids and dual-boot devices will grow further People prefer flexibility and devices that can adapt to different situations & lifestyles, and the kind of devices we’ll see in 2014 will offer exactly that.
Software as a means to differentiate Indian brands like already offering innovative software features, and XOLO is also working on a custom UI for its devices. Going forward, more Indian brands will try and use software to differentiate their products.
Colour and customisation options Many brands now offer their products in different colours, and with Apple jumping on the bandwagon with the iPhone 5c, more vendors will follow suit.
46
METHODOLOGY AND DISCLAIMERS
Some ifs and buts >
Methodology and Disclaimers
This report considers both feature phones and smartphones. Source of data is 91mobiles’ database and user behavior on 91mobiles.com. All devices made available for sale by an online store are considered as devices ‘launched’ in the
Indian market, for the purpose of this report, and first available online price is used to determine
the ‘price segment’ of the device Different storage variants of the same device are considered as separate products for the purpose of this report. Popularity of devices with respect to page views on 91mobiles is indicative, may differ from other platforms.
While we have tried to capture all mobile phone and tablet launches, a few may have been
missed; though this should not alter the overall trends identified in this report
48
List of phone brands
48 Indian Brands
Adcom Airtyme Arise Bsnl Hi-Tech Mobile Iball Iberry Icon Maxx Micromax Mitashi Mts Mvl Mobiles Nxg Olive Onida Optimasmart Penta Salora Sansui Smartnamo Spice Swingtel Swipe Tvc Videocon Wammy Wynncom Zen Mobiles Zync
20
Akai Apple BlackBerry Fly Gfive Gionee
International Brands
K-Touch Lenovo LG Motorola Nokia NUGen Panasonic Samsung Sony Yxtel
Byond Tech Idea Celkon Champion Croma Cubit Datawind Devante Domo Intex Jivi Josh Karbonn Lava
Google Nexus HTC Huawei Konka
Lemon Mobiles Rage Magicon Reconnect
49
List of tablet brands
50
Adcom Ainol AirTyme Arise BaSlate BSNL Byond Tech Celkon Champion Fujezone Go Tech HT Impex HCL Hi-Tech Mobile iBall IBerry ICEX Intex
Indian Brands
Micromax Milagrow Mitashi NXG Olive Optima Smart Penta Reconnect Reliance Redd Salora Scomp Simmtronics Spice Swingtel Swipe Teracom Videocon VOX Wespro Wishtel Winknet Xelectron Zebronics Zen Mobiles Zync
11 International Brands
Acer Mobile Amazon Apple Asus Fly Google Nexus Huawei Lenovo Samsung Sony Yxtel
Colors Mobile Karbonn Croma Datawind Devante Domo Lava Lemon Mobiles Maxx Mercury
50
Mobile phone landscape: India 2013
Launch and search trends
Nitansh Rastogi, Correspondent
About 91mobiles and this report
91mobiles is a leading research and comparison website for mobile phones in India The 91mobiles catalogue contains over 15,000 devices launched since the website’s inception in 2010; includes practically every mobile phone launched in India over the last 2-3 years Over 25 million people visited 91mobiles in 2013 and browsed over 125 million pages to research mobile phones & tablets
This report provides insights pertaining to mobile phone launches in 2013, their specifications, search trends seen on 91mobiles, and an outlook for 2014
2
Report Outline
1
Mobile phone launch trends in 2013 A year that saw a high growth in phone launches, the growing role of Indian brands, and an upward shift in the value chain by users and vendors alike Specifications we saw in 2013 in mobile phones Devices evolved in (almost) all aspects, but some trends stood out. Indian brands managed to catch-up with international brands in hardware specs, barring a few high-end features User choices revealed! The most popular devices and brands based on user searches on 91mobiles.com The tablet landscape in 2013 Thriving market, but only in some segments Looking ahead to 2014 A sneak peek at the brands, trends, and technologies to look forward to in 2014 Methodology and disclaimers
2
3
4
5
6
3
PHONE LAUNCHES
A few surprising, and some not-so surprising findings >
Phone launches nearly doubled in 2013 as compared to 2012
957
Total phone launches in 2013
85%
growth
515
Total phone launches in 2012
68 brands in India
48 Indian brands
|
20 International brands
5
Indian brands account for almost 70% of mobile devices launched in 2013
Relative share of mobile phones launched by Indian & international brands in 2012 and 2013
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40%
40%
32%
60%
68%
30%
20% 10% 0%
2012 Indian brands
2013 International brands
6
Affordable segment (Rs 5k-15k) saw the most action in 2013 in terms of phone launches
Mobile phone launches by price segment in 2012 vs 2013
100%
90%
80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%
5% 5% 21%
High-end phones (> Rs 25k) Mid-range phones (15k-25k)
5% 6%
32%
40%
Affordable phones (Rs 5k-15k)
38%
29% 60%
Feature phones (Rs 2k-5k)
68% 22%
20%
10% 0%
40%
Basic phones (below Rs 2k)
29%
2012
Below Rs 2k Rs 2k-5k Rs 5k-15k Rs 15k-25k
2013
Above Rs 25k
7
Indian brands are shifting towards higher price segments in 2013
Price-wise distribution of phone launches by Indian brands in 2012 vs 2013
Below Rs 2k
151 207
40% 32%
37% growth
Rs 2k-5k
90 146
60%
62% growth
Rs 5k-15k
49
68%
212
333% growth
Rs 15k-25k
1 17
0
1600% growth
50
100 2012 2013
150
200
250
Note: Data represented for 582 launches in 2013 and 291 launches in 2012 by Indian brands, for which pricing details are avai lable
8
How key brands distribute their launches across price categories – differing focus areas
Price-wise distribution of phone launches by key brands in 2013
80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 0% < Rs 5k Rs 5k-15k Rs 15k-25k 69%
• • 40% • •
Samsung - Present across segments, but large # of launches in the popular Rs 5k-15k segment. Nokia - Distributed across segments. Sony- All eggs in the premium 32%basket. Micromax - Dominates the low-end, but moving upwards fast.
46% 42% 36% 39% 60%
68%
33% 25% 25% 19% 25% 19% 23%
15% 6% 0% Above Rs 25k
Samsung
Nokia
Sony
Micromax
9
Indian brands dominate in number of phone launches
- Samsung is the only international brand to find a spot in the top 10
Top 10 brands with highest number of launches in 2013
65 65
63 59 57 54
36
34
33
33
INTEX
KARBONN
LAVA + XOLO
MICROMAX
CELKON
MAXX
VIDEOCON
LEMON MOBILES
SAMSUNG
SPICE
Indian brands’ domination in total phone launches driven by large number of under Rs 2k devices, as well as due to the fact that Android is a great leveller in the affordable smartphone segment
10
International brands are kings of the Rs 15,000+ price band; no Indian brand in the top 10
Top 10 brands with highest number of launches above Rs 15,000 (In 2013)
12 11
7 6 6 6 5
3
3
3
SAMSUNG
HTC
SONY
LG
NOKIA
LENOVO
APPLE BLACKBERRY GIONEE
HUAWEI
11
Brands with the maximum growth in launches in the year 2013: Lava is the biggest gainer
Launches by brands in year 2012 vs 2013
LAVA + XOLO
8
Lava: 6, XOLO: 2
63 Lava: 38, XOLO: 25 6 19
LENOVO
MAXX
18
54 23 57 27
CELKON
INTEX
0 10 20
65
30 40 50 60 70
2012
2013
Lava seems to be doing well with its dual brand strategy, with the mid-range segment under the ‘XOLO’ brand, and feature phones under the Lava brand
Note: Graph features brands with highest % growth in launches from 2012 to 2013, among brands with at least 5 launches in 2012
12
Brands with fewer number of launches in 2013 as compared to 2012
Launches by brands in year 2012 vs 2013
30
25
24
20
18 16 16 12 9
15
11
10
5
1
0
WYNCOMM
AKAI
SONY
HTC
2012
2013
While fall in number of launches may be an indicator of competitive pressures, fewer launches from Sony may be due to a conscious change in the company’s strategy after breaking its partnership with Ericsson in 2012.
13
SPEC-TALK
Specs we saw in mobile phones in 2013 >
Age of giants – 10x growth in phablet launches
(We define ‘Phablets’ as devices with screen sizes more than 5-inches and lower than 7-inches)
Phablet launches in 2012 vs 2013
Phablet launches by price segment, in 2013
60
53
50 40
6
BELOW RS 15K
24 9
30 20
>10x increase
RS 15K-25K
5 9
10 0
5
NUMBER OF DEVICES
ABOVE RS 25K
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
2012
2013
International brands
Indian brands
Interestingly, while Samsung kickstarted the large screen trend, Indian brands have taken them to the masses with a wider and more affordable range on offer
15
Phones became more powerful thanks to quad-core processors
Quad-core devices launched
7 in 2012
|
129 in 2013
Quad-core phone launches in 2012 vs 2013
0
INDIAN BRANDS
60
7
INTERNATIONAL BRANDS
69
0 20 40 60 80
Chinese company MediaTek’s affordable quad-core processor is leveling the playing field and allowing Indian brands to offer budget quad-core devices
2012
2013
16
Smartphone meets camera - the megapixel wars continued and 8-13MP cameras became the norm
# of phone launches by camera resolution in 2012 vs 2013
61
5-8MP
> 2.5x growth
158
43
8-13MP
166
> 4x growth
5
13MP AND ABOVE
43
0 20 40
> 8x growth
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
2012
2013
Indian brands kept pace with International brands in the camera resolution department
17
Dual-SIM phenomenon growing, but at a slower pace; Indian brands continue to dominate
Dual-SIM devices in 2012 vs 2013
600
534 96 362 64 438 298
500
400
300
200
100
0
2012 Indian brands
2013 International brands
In 2012, 70% of devices launched were dual-SIM, vs. 55% in 2013
18
3G adoption on the rise: 3G device launches increase by 2.5x, lead by Indian brands
3G-enabled devices launched in 2012 and 2013
155
100% 90% 80%
385 41%
61%
70%
60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
Cheapest 3G device in 2013 – Micromax A30 Smarty 3.0 (Rs 3,999)
59% 39% Cheapest 3G device in 2012 – Celkon A95 (Rs 5,999)
2012 Indian brands
2013 International brands
In 2013, 40% of all the devices launched were 3G capable, up from 30% in the year 2012
19
International brands score high on innovation and premium features: full HD displays & svelte design
Full HD devices launched in 2013 ‘Thin’ devices launched in 2013
Indian brands
Indian brands
36%
International brands International brands
33%
64%
67%
Total - 39
39 smartphones with full HD resolution in 2013 vs only one (HTC Butterfly) in 2012
Total - 24
24 smartphones with ‘ultra -thin’ casings (8mm or less) in 2013, as against just four in 2012
20
Android still on warpath, being the only smartphone OS in use by Indian brands
Mobile phone launches in 2013 segregated by OS
39%
Others
59%
Android
Windows Phone iOS
BlackBerry OS
‘Others’ includes basic phones and feature phones (proprietary OS, Nokia Asha OS, Java platform, etc.)
21
Spec milestones: Devices that set new benchmarks
RAM 3GB Samsung Galaxy Note 3 LARGEST DISPLAY THINNEST SMARTPHONE
6.18mm Huawei Ascend P6
6.44-inches Sony Xperia Z Ultra
LARGEST BATTERY
4,050mAh battery Huawei Ascend Mate
PROCESSOR
Octa-core Exynos Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3
PROCESSOR
64-bit computing Apple iPhone 5S
CAMERA
41-megapixels Nokia Lumia 1020
22
Feature milestones
MOTION SENSING
M7 co-processor Apple iPhone 5S
SECURITY
Fingerprint sensor (Touch ID) Apple iPhone 5S
MULTIMEDIA
Boom Sound HTC One
MOTION SENSING
Step Counter Google Nexus 5
23
USER’S CHOICES 2013
Based on over 125 million page views on 91mobiles.com >
Most popular brands in 2013 – the usual suspects
Brand
SAMSUNG
Total # of models in the market 160
% of page views in 2013 20.9%
MICROMAX
SONY
170
55
12.0%
8.3%
NOKIA
KARBONN
120
148
8.0%
6.2%
APPLE
LAVA
20
75
4.0%
3.5%
Note: Popularity by page views in 2013 for all devices of a brand, including prior launches
25
The mid-range / value-for-money 5k-15k segment most popular with users
Page views for devices based on different price segments
> Rs 35k Rs 25- Rs 35k < Rs 2k
3% 7%
4%
11%
Rs 15k-25k
Rs 2k-5k
25%
50%
Rs 5k-15k
26
Most searched phones in the budget range (Rs 5k-15k): Micromax and Samsung rule the segment
#1
Samsung Galaxy S Duos
Launched in: Sept 2012
#2
Micromax A110 Superfone Canvas 2
Launched in: Nov 2012
#3
Micromax A116 Canvas HD
Launched in: Feb 2013
#4 #5
Nokia Lumia 520
Launched in: Mar 2013
Samsung Galaxy Core
Launched in: Jun 2013
27
Most searched phones in the mid-range segment (Rs 15k-25k): a mixed lot spanning different brands
#1
Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos
Launched in: Jan 2013
#2
Sony Xperia C
Launched in: Oct 2013
#3
Micromax Canvas 4
Launched in: July 2013
#4
Sony Xperia L
Launched in: May 2013
#5
Nokia Lumia 720
Launched in: Mar 2013
28
Most searched phones in the high-end segment (Rs 25k-35k): price reduction sweetened the deals
#1
Sony Xperia Z
Launched in: March 2013
#2
Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Launched in: Sept 2012
#3
Samsung Galaxy S3
Launched in: May 2012
#4
Nokia Lumia 920
Launched in: January 2013
#5
BlackBerry Z10
Launched in: Feb 2013
Most devices in this list are former flagship devices that retained, or even further grew in popularity long after their launch, by virtue of price drops
29
Most searched phones in the premium segment (above Rs 35k): Samsung and Apple rule the roost
#1
Samsung Galaxy S4
Launched in: Apr 2013
#2
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Launched in: Sept 2013
#3
Apple iPhone 5S
Launched in: Nov 2013
#4
Apple iPhone 5C
Launched in: Nov 2013
#5
HTC One
Launched in: Apr 2013
30
Editor’s picks: the game changers
Micromax A116 Canvas HD
Consolidated Micromax's stronghold in the above Rs. 10k price band, and challenged higher priced phones like the Samsung Galaxy Grand, by virtue of the specs it packed.
Nokia Lumia 520
With affordable pricing, the Lumia 520 became Nokia’s best bet against the onslaught of Android smartphones, making it the most popular windows phone. It also bolstered Microsoft’s WP8 market share.
31
Editor’s picks: the game changers
Google Nexus 5 Moto G
Soon to be launched in India, the Moto G is expected to raise the bar for specs & quality budget smartphones are expected to offer Continued the legacy of providing superb hardware and stock Android at an affordable price tag. At Rs. 28,999, the specs offered in the device are only matched by the devices in the Rs 35k price range
Gionee Elife E6
The Gionee Elife E6 changed the negative image of Chinese brands. Reasonably high specs and a distinctive design made it quite noteworthy
32
TABLETS:
Still a lot of ground to cover
Notable observations >
Tablet launches increased in 2013, but not at the same pace as mobiles
194
Total tablet launches in 2013
172
13%
growth
Total tablet launches in 2012
61 brands in India
50 Indian brands
|
11 International brands
34
Indian brands dominate in launches, but not growing as much as international brands
Number of tablets launched in India in 2013 vs 2012
140
3% growth
120
125
100
129 Greater move towards ‘phablets’ also a possible reason for the relative lack of vibrancy in the tablets market.
80
60
65 47
40
20
0
International brands 2012 2013
Indian brands
35
Budget tablets occupy a large chunk of the overall launches, with Indian brands dominating the segment
Tablet launches by price segment (2013) Tablet launches in 2013
6%
Below Rs 10k
94%
22%
Rs 10k-20k
58% 20%
Above Rs 20k Below Rs 10k
Rs 10k-20k
63% 68%
37% 32%
Above Rs 20k
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Indian brands
International brands
36
The small-screen tablet segment is growing in terms of launches
Number of tablets launched, segregated by screen size
160 140 120
151
124
100 80 60 40 20 0
48
While there is an increase in the number of tablets launched with 7-8 inch screen size, larger tablets actually witnessed negative growth in 2013
43
Small screen size (7-8 inch)
Large screen size (Above 8-inch)
2012
2013
37
Limited diversity in high-end tablets: Apple killed the above Rs 20k segment
Apple has raised the bar very high
Has sustained first-mover advantage. Better ecosystem for tablet-optimised apps and accessories. The iPad Air is thinner (7.5mm) and lighter (469g) compared to peers.
Limited Competition
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Sony Xperia Tablet Z
38
A look at the most popular tablets in 2013 in the under Rs 15k segment
SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 2 7.0
Launched in April 2013
GOOGLE NEXUS 7
#1
Launched in Nov 2012
#3
HCL ME U1
#2
Launched in Aug 2012
MICROMAX FUNBOOK TALK
Launched in Oct 2012
#4
#5
MICROMAX FUNBOOK INFINITY
Launched in Sept 2012
39
LOOKING AHEAD TO
2014
What this year holds for us >
Deepak Dhingra, Editor
Mobile devices from 2013 that set the trend for what’s to come in 2014
Octa-core processors High-resolution cameras
Apple iPhone 5s
Nokia Lumia 1020
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
64-bit SoC
Samsung Galaxy Gear
Flexible displays Wearable devices
High-resolution displays
LG G Flex
Vivo Xplay 3s
These device were launched in the year 2013, but have paved the way for devices of this year. Read more about what trends these devices have set.
41
The way you interact with your smartphone could change in 2014
Gesture controls Voice commands
Contextual computing
Fingerprint sensors
Touchscreens might become passé, as device manufacturers are devising innovative ways of interacting with devices. Click here to know more.
42
Top 5 mobile phone brands to look out for in 2014
Trailing numero uno brand Samsung, Micromax offers a wide range of devices at affordable price points, and now the company is also going global. Within an year of its entry into the Indian market, the company has launched a slew of quality devices across different segments at attractive prices. Oppo is planning to enter India soon and its devices are getting a lot of praise for innovative features coupled with superb configurations. Xolo never shies away from taking risks. From partnering with Intel to Nvidia and Broadcom, the manufacturer continues to innovate. Xiaomi has confirmed that it’s planning to go global and its powerful devices and economical pricing will surely give it huge boost in price-sensitive markets like India. Read our take on these manufacturers.
43
Editor’s comments
Curved displays and wearables In the high-end segment, innovations like curved / flexible screens, wearables and super high-resolution displays will make news
Redefining value for money Upcoming devices like Motorola’s Moto G, Nokia’s rumoured Android phone (Normandy) and the Nexus series may re-define ‘value-formoney’ in a price sensitive market like India
44
Editor’s comments
Rise of Windows
After Android, many Indian brands (Micromax and XOLO) are contemplating devices running Microsoft’s Windows. In the mobile space, Windows Phone 8 will cement its position as a strong third alternative to Android and iOS.
Octa-core processors will go mainstream MediaTek’s MT6592 SoC will be the platform of choice for quite a few brands, especially those from India and will help bring octa-core chips to the masses.
45
Editor’s comments
Newer form factors, hybrids and dual-boot devices will grow further People prefer flexibility and devices that can adapt to different situations & lifestyles, and the kind of devices we’ll see in 2014 will offer exactly that.
Software as a means to differentiate Indian brands like already offering innovative software features, and XOLO is also working on a custom UI for its devices. Going forward, more Indian brands will try and use software to differentiate their products.
Colour and customisation options Many brands now offer their products in different colours, and with Apple jumping on the bandwagon with the iPhone 5c, more vendors will follow suit.
46
METHODOLOGY AND DISCLAIMERS
Some ifs and buts >
Methodology and Disclaimers
This report considers both feature phones and smartphones. Source of data is 91mobiles’ database and user behavior on 91mobiles.com. All devices made available for sale by an online store are considered as devices ‘launched’ in the
Indian market, for the purpose of this report, and first available online price is used to determine
the ‘price segment’ of the device Different storage variants of the same device are considered as separate products for the purpose of this report. Popularity of devices with respect to page views on 91mobiles is indicative, may differ from other platforms.
While we have tried to capture all mobile phone and tablet launches, a few may have been
missed; though this should not alter the overall trends identified in this report
48
List of phone brands
48 Indian Brands
Adcom Airtyme Arise Bsnl Hi-Tech Mobile Iball Iberry Icon Maxx Micromax Mitashi Mts Mvl Mobiles Nxg Olive Onida Optimasmart Penta Salora Sansui Smartnamo Spice Swingtel Swipe Tvc Videocon Wammy Wynncom Zen Mobiles Zync
20
Akai Apple BlackBerry Fly Gfive Gionee
International Brands
K-Touch Lenovo LG Motorola Nokia NUGen Panasonic Samsung Sony Yxtel
Byond Tech Idea Celkon Champion Croma Cubit Datawind Devante Domo Intex Jivi Josh Karbonn Lava
Google Nexus HTC Huawei Konka
Lemon Mobiles Rage Magicon Reconnect
49
List of tablet brands
50
Adcom Ainol AirTyme Arise BaSlate BSNL Byond Tech Celkon Champion Fujezone Go Tech HT Impex HCL Hi-Tech Mobile iBall IBerry ICEX Intex
Indian Brands
Micromax Milagrow Mitashi NXG Olive Optima Smart Penta Reconnect Reliance Redd Salora Scomp Simmtronics Spice Swingtel Swipe Teracom Videocon VOX Wespro Wishtel Winknet Xelectron Zebronics Zen Mobiles Zync
11 International Brands
Acer Mobile Amazon Apple Asus Fly Google Nexus Huawei Lenovo Samsung Sony Yxtel
Colors Mobile Karbonn Croma Datawind Devante Domo Lava Lemon Mobiles Maxx Mercury
50
