OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro to go on sale on June 15 at 12 noon.

OnePlus is back to the top position in the Indian premium smartphone segment. According to a counterpoint report, India’s smartphone shipments in the premium segment have declined by 32 per cent YoY in Q2 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic but OnePlus regained the top position thanks to the OnePlus 8.

The report states that a nationwide lockdown of almost 40 days led to almost zero shipments in April, which contributed to the decline in quarterly shipments. However, the premium segment was least affected and reached its highest ever share in the overall India smartphone market, contributing more than 4 per cent in total smartphone shipments.

Counterpoint said, “new launches like the OnePlus 8 series 5G in premium segment and re-entry of Apple in affordable premium segment kept the momentum alive in the market.” OnePlus regained the top position with 29 per cent share in Q2 2020. The launch of the OnePlus 8 series 5G along with a price cut on the OnePlus 7T series has said to have helped the brand in recapturing the top position. “While the OnePlus 8 witnessed strong demand in the premium segment, OnePlus 8 Pro captured the second spot in the ultra-premium segment (>₹45,000 or roughly >$600),” the report noted.

Following OnePlus is Samsung. The South Korean smartphone manufacturer slipped to the second position with a slight margin of less than 1 per cent, capturing almost 29 per cent share. “The Galaxy A71 became its best-selling device and secured a spot in the top three models in the premium segment in Q2 2020. Similarly, Galaxy S20 Ultra held the second spot in the ultra-premium segment,’ the report noted. Additionally, Samsung also started manufacturing its flagship Galaxy S20 series in India during the quarter. “The launch of initiatives like Samsung Care+ and discount offers on the Galaxy S20 series, with a focus on channel strategies, helped Samsung to keep the momentum.”

Apple took the third spot in the premium shipment share during the quarter. The report stated that “ iPhone 11, which was the best-selling model in the previous quarter, slipped to the fifth spot but managed to remain number one in the ultra-premium segment.” The company has now started assembling the iPhone 11 locally in Foxconn factory near Chennai. The iPhone SE 2020 is said to have received a good response as it captured a spot in the top five models of the segment within the initial quarter of launch.

“India’s premium smartphone market is shaping up as OEMs are now changing their strategies to target consumers in all price tiers. Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo entered the ultra-premium segment with their 5G flagships Mi 10, Find X2 and X50 pro, respectively. The segment no longer remains an oligopoly of Samsung, Apple and OnePlus,’ the Counterpoint report stated.

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