Mobile handset sales to reach 231 million in 2012: Gartner

Mobile device sales in India are forecast to rise over 8.5 per cent to reach 231 million units in 2012 from last year's sales of 213 million units, even as global majors will continue to face competition from local and Chinese brands in the country.

The mobile handset market is expected to show steady growth through 2015 with end-user sales will surpass 322 million units,  reveals a new survey by global information technology research and advisory firm Gartner Inc.

The Indian mobile device market is very competitive with more than 150 manufacturers selling devices to consumers.

While most of the local and Chinese manufacturers have remained focused on low-cost devices, some manufacturers have built capabilities to deliver smartphone devices and even ventured into other global markets, it said.

"The big global brands will continue to face competition from local and Chinese brands as some of these brands are building capabilities to compete at a larger level covering broader consumer segments,'' said Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at Gartner.
 
"G'five, Karbonn Mobile and Micromax occupied third, fourth, and fifth positions after Nokia and Samsung in the third quarter," Gupta added.

India, accounting for about 12 per cent of worldwide sales, is an important market for device manufacturers, with aspirations to grow their global market share. Due to its sheer size and open market (mobile devices being sold independently of cellular connection), it has attracted many global mobile device manufacturers.