Diwali smartphone sales revive budget phones—for now
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : As Diwali lights up homes across India, it’s also sparking fresh demand in the country's sluggish smartphone market. Budget 5G phones, priced under ₹15,000, are picking up pace, driven by discounts, exchange offers, and no-interest instalment plans.
But analysts warn that this seasonal bump might fade just as quickly as the festive fervour. Retailers across India are witnessing an uptick in smartphone sales in the sub- ₹15,000 range, as opposed to flagship devices being the only segment in demand of late. Once accounting for more than half of India’s smartphone market, budget phones have taken a hit over the past few years.
However, the Diwali week has drawn budget-conscious buyers back into the fold, spurred by newly launched 5G devices with compelling features. Read this | 5G smartphones at ₹8000: The push for digital India Brands like Samsung and Vivo are capitalizing on the moment with aggressive offline promotions. “Most of the demand in the market for sub- ₹15,000 5G smartphones is not organic, which means the stagnation in the market is not going away anywhere," said Manish Khatri, partner at Mahesh Telecom in Mumbai.
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