People wait for Amazon and Flipkart sales to buy a new smartphone during the festive season. The phone is expected to be available at a lower price during Navratri and Diwali. But the picture of smartphone market in October 2026 is different. Even after the sale this time, the phone sales are declining. The main reason for this is said to be price hike and less discount compared to last year.
How many smartphones sold in 2025?
According to a Counterpoint Research report, around 3.24 crore smartphones were sold in India during the entire festive season of 2025. This is 11.5% more than the 2024 festive season. That means there was a good increase in the sales of phones last year. There were many reasons behind it. Customers were getting good discounts on phones. There were also features like extra savings on payment by bank card, old phone exchange offer and easy installments. Apart from this, sales also benefited as people had more money left to spend and a good buying environment in the market.
How much will phone sales drop in 2026?
ગયા વર્ષની સરખામણીએ આ વર્ષનું પ્રારંભિક ચિત્ર નબળું છે. 15 ઓક્ટોબર, 2026ના રોજ ધ ઈકોનોમિક ટાઈમ્સના અહેવાલ અનુસાર, ઓનલાઈન નવરાત્રી સેલ દરમિયાન સ્માર્ટફોનના વેચાણની સંખ્યામાં ગયા વર્ષની સરખામણીમાં 16%નો ઘટાડો થયો છે. એટલે કે જો ગયા વર્ષે આ સમયગાળા દરમિયાન 100 ફોન વેચાયા હતા, તો આ વખતે લગભગ 84 ફોન વેચાયા છે. This is an illustrative example, not an actual cell number.
Shopkeepers are also facing a similar problem. According to the All India Mobile Retailers Association, phone sales at shops have dropped by around 20% since the start of Navratri. The organization estimates that retail sales during the holiday season could drop by more than 15% from last year. Counterpoint Research estimates a 12% decline in smartphone sales over the entire festive season, which runs from October 8 to November 8, 2026. This is only an estimate, not a final figure.
Why are cell phones expensive?
આ વર્ષે, ફોન પર સરેરાશ ડિસ્કાઉન્ટ 10% થી 25% છે, જ્યારે ગયા વર્ષે તે લગભગ 25% થી 40% હતું. That means this time customers are not getting as much savings as before.
The main reason why phones are expensive is the increase in the cost of memory chips. A phone needs memory to store photos, videos and apps. Even large data centers running AI are buying large quantities of memory chips. This led to increased demand for chips and increased prices. The weakness of the rupee and the increase in the cost of transporting goods have also put pressure on the cost of making phones.
Consumers are postponing purchases due to expensive phones
When the price of the phone increases and the sale has less discount, consumers may postpone the purchase. Some people are getting their old phones repaired instead of buying a new phone. Some customers are opting for low cost or old used phones. Consumers who buy phones on easy installments are also more price conscious, according to shopkeepers.
Another interesting thing is that the total revenue of the market may increase despite the decrease in the number of phone sales. કાઉન્ટરપોઇન્ટ રિસર્ચ અનુસાર, 2026ની સમગ્ર તહેવારોની સિઝનમાં વેચાણની સંખ્યામાં 12%નો ઘટાડો થવાની ધારણા છે, પરંતુ કુલ વેચાણની રકમ 5% વધી શકે છે. The reason is that the phones are being sold at high prices
Overall, smartphone sales increased during the festive season in 2025, while early figures show a decline in 2026. Expensive memory chips, low discounts and limited budget of consumers are the main reasons for this. How many phones were sold this year will be known only when the final figures for the entire season come out. 3.24 crore phones in 2025 is the final figure for the entire festive season. A 16% decline in 2026 is linked to the initial period of online Navratri sales, while 12% is projected for the entire festive season. Do not present these two as straight figures from the same period.
