India’s smartphone shipments fell sharply in the third quarter of 2026, and Samsung returned to the top spot, according to two research firms whose estimates differ.
Omdia, as reported by Digit, put shipments at 35.8 million units, down 26% and the lowest third quarter since 2016. It listed Samsung at 6.7 million, Vivo at 6.4 million, Oppo at 4.9 million, Xiaomi at 4.7 million and Apple at 3.9 million. Chinese brands held about 68% of the market against 75% a year earlier.
Counterpoint, as reported by TelecomTalk and Business Today, put the decline at about 20%, with phones priced under Rs 20,000 down 47%. It gave Samsung a 17% share, Vivo 16% and Xiaomi 12%. Higher memory prices were cited as a reason. The two estimates use different methods and are not directly comparable.
