Apple, Samsung, And Xiaomi Are Going Big With Diwali This Year, Fueling A Gadgets Frenzy

Smartphone brands like Huawei and Apple are launching nearly 100 phone models before Diwali takes place.

The shopping bonanza is considered a huge opportunity for companies aiming at capturing a larger chunk of the world’s second-biggest smartphone market.

Over a dozen local and international brands will compete for attention around the November 14 Festival of Lights, which usually sees a gifting spree even bigger than American Christmas.

Samsung introduces twice the usual number of models while Apple puts its hope on the newly-lunched, small, and affordable iPhone 12. Even Huawei poured in three new designs despite the recent border tension between India and China, which has stirred a boycott China trend in India.

The list goes with handsets geared toward the Indian market, catering to all kinds of needs, from studying to gaming. Xiaomi Corp has its own ways to vie for attention, from smartphone stores on wheels to a rap video featuring Manu Jain – the company’s India chief.

The smartphone penetration rate of India is 32%, in comparison with the US’s 82% and China’s 61%, as stated in the Newzoo Global Mobile Market report. This figure suggests a huge potential for growth.

The combination of the 4G rollout, digital payments, local content, and affordable data packages may even push development further.

The Indian market is recovering from the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic so Samsung – the current market leader, Xiaomi – the runner up, and other brands are hoping to catch this opportunity.

The recovery has seen an 8% in phone shipment in the third quarter, as stated in a report of Canalys – a market researcher. The rise is a stark contrast to the steep plummet of 51% in the previous quarter.

WhatsApp’s and YouTube’s growth also contributes to the larger demand for smartphones. Meanwhile, the social distancing orders have forced employees and students to work and study online, via smartphones.

According to Asim Warsi – Samsung India’s senior vice president, the company had introduced a dozen of new models prior to Diwali, including the M01 Core at Rs. 4,999 to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 at Rs. 149,999. He also said Samsung expected a 40% growth for Q4.

5G technology will be put on display at this year’s Diwali. OnePlus is touting the OnePlus 8T with 5G support, Lenovo Group will bring to the table the Motorola Razr 5G, Xiaomi offers its budget-friendly Poco C3, while Asus introduces its champion as ROG Phone 3.

According to Xiaomi, it has already had 5 million phones sold via Amazon, Flipkart, and its website in the week of October 15.

The plummet in the first half of 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has made for a highly competitive festive season. Vendors are launching phone models to pull in all types of buyers, according to Anshul Gupta – Gartner India’s research director.

Apple is going big this year in India. It’s gearing its focus toward the country to gradually reduce its dependence on China as a manufacturing base and a market as tension escalates between Washington and Beijing.

The Cupertino tech giant introduced its first online store in India in September with offers like free AirPods and engravings in seven Indian languages for every purchase of an iPhone 11. After just two hours, Apple had run out of stock. In an earning conference, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said the company had set a record in India, thanks to the favorable reception to the launch of the online store.

Even local brands that have long remained dormant because of the competition with Chinese phone makers are gearing up their effort for market shares. Micromax, once well-loved by Indian users for its budget-friendly handsets introduced a new series on November 3.

In another promotion prior to Diwali, Xiaomi initiated its store-on-wheels plan to bring its gadgets to remote areas by showing up at weekly street fairs.

However, at this point, it’s still unclear how the festival will turn out as COVID-19 hasn’t been behind us yet. India, much like the rest of the world, is struggling with economic uncertainty.

>>> Apple Lovers In India Can Get Free AirPods When Buying iPhone 11 During Diwali