VIVO OPPO
He left his teaching job to make adhesive tapes; now Crown New Materials' 787% IPO surge has made him a billionaire
He once worked as an elementary school teacher. Today, Mai Huiquan and his sister Mai Huixia are at the centre of one of China's biggest stock market debut stories. Their company, Crown New Materials, saw its shares jump 787% on November 3, turning its IPO into a major talking point among investors.
Soaring tech costs push festive shoppers towards EMIs
At Bengaluru-based Pai International Electronics, which operates across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 70-80% of smartphone sales during the festive season were financed through EMIs, up from 40-50% last year, said director Rahul Pai. At Vijay Sales, which operates 181 stores nationwide, EMIs accounted for about 70-75% of festive-season sales.
AI is driving up memory prices. So why is Sam Altman questioning your PC's RAM?
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has questioned the need for large amounts of RAM in personal computers, arguing that much of the memory remains unused and could be utilised more efficiently through centralised cloud infrastructure. However, his remarks come at a time when the AI industry's growing demand for computing power is contributing to rising memory prices, making smartphones, PCs and other consumer devices more expensive.
A missed call for China is a loud wake-up call for desi companies
Indian smartphone brands Lava and Ai+ are gaining market share as Chinese rivals retreat amid soaring memory chip prices and shrinking demand. Domestic brands captured 7% of shipments in the September quarter, their highest share in nearly eight years. Government incentives and India's manufacturing expansion offer a boost, but technology, distribution, after-sales service and customer loyalty remain critical to sustained growth.
Chinese smartphone brands lose India market share as chip costs soar
Chinese smartphone brands' market share in India decreased to 67-68% in the recent July-September quarter. This decline represents the lowest percentage seen in more than eight years. Companies like Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi are reducing their budget models due to high memory chip prices. Domestic brands such as Lava and Ai+ are gaining traction among price-sensitive consumers as a result.
India smartphone shipments fall to decadal low as prices squeeze demand
India's smartphone market experienced significant declines in shipments during the July-September 2026 quarter. Shipments fell by 20% year-on-year, marking the lowest levels in a decade. Demand for smartphones priced under Rs 20,000 saw a drastic 47% decline due to rising prices. Major brands such as Samsung and OPPO adapted by optimizing their product offerings to improve market performance.
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Price shock trumps festive cheer as India smartphone shipments hit decade low
India's smartphone market faced a 26% decline in shipments in Q3 2026 compared to the previous year. Factors like rising prices and cautious consumer spending reduced replacement demand for smartphones. Samsung regained the top market position, shipping 6.7 million units with a strong premium portfolio. Apple also entered the top five, driven by demand for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 models.
India's smartphone shipments slip 26 pc to decade-low in Q3, Samsung regains top spot: Report
Major Chinese players Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi are estimated to have seen a decline in shipments while Samsung regained top position despite a marginal dip in shipments.
Semiconductor ecosystem: Made in India and designed for India
India’s competitive advantage will not come from manufacturing at China’s scale or cost. It lies in building customised devices for specific users and applications.
Homegrown firms enter budget smartphone market as memory chip prices rise
India's budget smartphone market is opening up for local brands as global companies reduce their presence. Rising memory chip prices have significantly impacted entry-level smartphone production costs. Homegrown companies Ai+ and Lava are gaining traction in this competitive segment. Micromax plans to re-enter the smartphone market by evaluating various strategies. Brands aim to leverage the government's financial incentives under the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme to succeed.
Online mobile sales may not ring loud this Navratri
India's smartphone market is experiencing a sharp decline in sales during the festive season. Recent data indicates a 16% year-on-year drop in unit sales, influenced by affordability challenges. Retailers are reporting similar downturns, estimating a 20% decline since the start of Navratri. While premium smartphones remain steady in sales, entry-level models are suffering significant losses.
Does sound sell? Dolby’s Javier Foncillas on taking audio from phones and cars to smart glasses
Meta has announced its AI glasses that enable audio capture in Dolby Atmos for sharing on social media, enhancing user experiences. Dolby is expanding its reach from playback technologies to content capture with a focus on creators and social media. Research indicates that audio quality influences smartphone purchases, particularly in India, where mobile media consumption is high.
Too pricey to sell? Apple cuts iPhone 18 Pro orders by 20%, Duo faces similar risk
Apple has reduced component orders for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max by 15%. This reduction is a response to weaker-than-expected demand for these premium models. Concerns about the upcoming iPhone Duo's reception have also emerged due to high pricing. The delayed launch of the standard iPhone 18 could further impact overall sales. Memory chip shortages are also affecting smartphone prices across the industry.
Festive demand on easy finance: Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi and others stretch EMIs to 30 months, bear interest costs
Smartphone and consumer electronics manufacturers are extending EMI options to as long as 30 months. This move aims to cushion consumers from rising prices and stimulate demand during the festive season. Major brands like Samsung and Xiaomi are offering no-cost EMI schemes on various models, including entry-level options. Retailers expect finance-driven purchases to increase significantly during the festive sales period.
India’s smartphone business may have lost an old festive-season weapon
India's smartphone market faces challenges this festive season as rising memory costs lead to higher device prices. Major brands are already raising prices across various models due to component cost pressures. This situation is expected to drive more consumers towards financing options to afford new smartphones. Retailers are preparing by offering exchange offers and banking partnerships to enhance sales.
Samsung Galaxy S27 pro leak: Samsung’s next flagship may bring a change fans have awaited for years; check expected upgrades
Samsung’s Galaxy S27 lineup could mark a change in the company’s long-standing battery strategy, with leaked certification figures pointing to higher-capacity cells for both the Ultra and Pro models. The reported upgrade comes as Chinese smartphone brands continue offering much larger batteries, while Samsung may also rely on a newer Snapdragon processor to improve overall power efficiency.
MediaTek launches new mobile chip using TSMC's most advanced technology
MediaTek said the Dimensity 9600 Pro is its first mobile processor built using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's cutting-edge 2-nanometre process. It also introduced the Dimensity 9600M, made using TSMC's 3-nanometre process and aimed at a broader segment of the flagship smartphone market.
Samsung's India public policy chief resigns, sources say
Samsung India’s head of public affairs and ESG, Rajiv Aggarwal, has resigned after nearly four years at the company, with his last week currently underway. The reason for his departure is unclear. The 57-year-old former bureaucrat previously worked at Uber and Meta and handled Samsung’s government relations in India.
India gets ready to build its own Samsung, Vivo or Xiaomi
India has emerged as a major global smartphone manufacturing hub, but it is yet to build a home-grown brand of comparable scale. A new Rs 62,500 crore government scheme aims to bridge that gap by incentivising Indian-owned brands, design, R&D and domestic sourcing, with companies such as Lava positioned to benefit.
Amber Enterprises to make Oppo, OnePlus, Realme phones in India from March 2027
Amber Enterprises will begin smartphone production for Oppo, OnePlus, and Realme in 2027-28. The company plans to produce eight million units in the first year of operations. Production is expected to scale to sixteen million units in the subsequent year. This move aligns with Chinese brands deepening their asset-light manufacturing models in India. Amber also anticipates margin pressure in its bare printed circuit board business.
Vivo, Oppo say bye to Chinese 'agents,' bring in Indian ones
Vivo is likely to take up the office spaces currently occupied by the agents and convert them into its own state office, executives said. Oppo has set up such a structure in Delhi as a pilot, replacing its Chinese distributor with an Indian one. This will be rolled out nationally. The company is in the process of appointing Indian distributors in other states, the executives said.
Oppo, Vivo sales jump 67% in FY19
On a standalone basis, Oppo’s sales went up by 80% at Rs 21,524.6 crore, while Vivo grew by 54% at Rs 17,201.79 crore in 2018-19. BBK Electronics also owns OnePlus and Realme smartphone brands whose India sales for FY19 are still not available. BBK Electronics is still not making money in India with both Oppo and Vivo yet to breakeven.
Oppo, Vivo post combined loss of Rs 1,225 crore even as sales rise 20%
Industry executives attributed the loss to aggressive investments by the companies in the Indian market and absorbing the impact of the rupee’s depreciation to remain competitive.
Oppo, Vivo bolster BBK's No 2 position by revenue in FY18
China’s BBK Electronics may have strengthened its position as number two smartphone maker by revenue.
Xiaomi, Samsung are fighting it out in the Rs 10,000 & Rs 25,000 smartphones range
The segment expanded nearly 50% last year and is expected to accelerate further in 2018, becoming critical for the major players that want to grow or consolidate their share, said companies and experts.
Oppo, Vivo offer retailers unkindest cut
Oppo and Vivo, both founded by Chinese billionaire Duan Yongping, cut the margin offered to large chains to 14-15% from 23-25%, the executives said.
Sales of Oppo, Vivo drop 30% in July
Sales of Oppo and Vivo declined 30% in July and they continue to remain down this month, according to four leading cellphone retail chains and several neighbourhood retailers.
Vivo pays 267% premium over the base price to retain IPL rights, to shell out Rs 2,199 crore over 5 years
At Rs 440 cr per season, that's almost four times the base price of Rs 120 cr set by BCCI, making this the biggest sponsorship deal in the history of any sport in India.
ET Mag Analysis: Can Samsung Counter the Oppo-Vivo Flanking Maneuver?
Delhi, 29 April 2017 In 2015, Apple smartphones had grabbed a cool 13.6% share in China. Playing catch-up were two local labels, Oppo and Vivo, sister brands...
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