Samsung slips while competition thrives in FY15

NEW DELHI: Samsung India’s mobile devices revenue

(which includes other tablets and smart watches), after many years of continuous rise, has slipped by 20% in 2014-15 due to rising competition. Their share in the company’s total revenue, including sales of household appliances, fell to 55% from 69% in 2013-14.

Experts say that the company has been facing competition at the top end by Apple, Nexus and Sony; at the lower end by the growing Chinese and domestic brands.

A Samsung spokesperson, however, said that the dip in

Revenue in ₹cr, from mobile devices sales *All devices mobile devices’ revenue had nothing to do with Samsung’s performance, but was a result of the market slowing down. However, according to IDC, baring the October-december quarter in 2014, smartphones’ shipments grew in 2014-15. In the January-march quarter of 2015, 26.5 million units

shipped to India, up by 44% year-on-year. During 2014-15, Apple’s India revenues grew by 50%, Micromax’s 47%, and Intex’s 82%. An IDC report said: “Shipments of top-3 Chinese vendors grew 18% month-on-month in October.” Micromax earns 97% of its revenue from mobiles.

“The ROC (Registrar of Companies) data pertains to a period that is nine-month old. During the year, our mobile business registered robust growth,” Samsung said. Cybermedia Research said Samsung’s marketshare shrunk from 27.9% in the first quarter of 2015 to 24.4% during July-september. But during the period, smartphone shipments grew from 19.5 million to 27.01 million units.

However, Samsung considers research firm Gfknielsen’s data that covers 793 cities. “As per Gfk, our marketshare grew from 36.6% in March 2015 to 43% in October 2015,” the company said.