Feature phone growth crosses smartphone’s

Feature phone growth crosses smartphone’s

According to the latest Counterpoint Research data, feature phones witnessed a 21 per cent growth year-on-year (y-o-y) during the April-June quarter in 2018 compared with the smartphone’s 18 per cent.

By: ENS Economic Bureau | New Delhi |

Updated: July 25, 2018 1:30:45 am

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During the January-March quarter, Jio controlled almost 36 per cent of the country’s feature phone market, which rose to 47 per cent in the April-June quarter. (Representational Image)

Reliance Jio’s aggressive pricing and promotions of its 4G feature phone has resulted in growth in this segment outpacing that of the smartphone for two consecutive quarters. According to the latest Counterpoint Research data, feature phones witnessed a 21 per cent growth year-on-year (y-o-y) during the April-June quarter in 2018 compared with the smartphone’s 18 per cent.

During the January-March quarter this calendar, the agency said the market was driven by the feature phone segment, which doubled in Q12018 due to strong shipments of Jio Phone, while the smartphone market remained flat y-o-y. During the January-March quarter, Jio controlled almost 36 per cent of the country’s feature phone market, which rose to 47 per cent in the April-June quarter.

Except Jio, the top four feature phone brands — Samsung, Nokia, Itel and Lava —registered growth in single digits for the last two quarters in the 2018 calendar year, Counterpoint data show. The demand for Jio Phone gathered pace during during January with the company introducing a cheaper data plan, Rs 49 per month that offers free calls and 1GB of 4G data per month. —FE.

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