4G phones to drive smart devices market in India: Samsung

Chandigarh: Mobile handset maker Samsung India Tuesday said 4G phones will drive the smartphone market in the country on the back of increasing data speed.

Samsung, one of the largest smartphone makers in the country, also claimed 60 percent share in total shipments of 4G phones in the country last year.

"With data speed, evolution of network happening, the adoption of smartphones will accelerate and 4G will be one of the key factors," Samsung India General Manager (Mobile Business) Vishal Kaul said here today.

"Last year 60 percent of shipments in the industry were 4G devices and Samsung garnered 60 percent share of that. Increasingly, people are adopting 4G, probably they are leapfrogging and many people will skip 3G. They will go from 2G to 4G straight," he said.

"Prices of 4G devices are also dropping and I see 4G being the dominant technology used in smartphones," he noted.

Samsung launched 18 devices of 4G technology last year. This year two devices were launched.

"There will be more launches of 4G phones," he said, adding that their 4G phones range from Rs 8,000 to Rs 55,000.

"India is still pioneer in terms of growth in smart phones industry while other parts of are slowing down. Thanks to huge customer base. I think the key differentiator in 4G adoption is how relevant you make for people," he further said.

On wearable devices, he said, "It is still a nascent market. Point is that every technology has curve...We with every launch we see better results. Market for wearable devices is growing," he said.

Asked how frequently people in India change their phones, Kaul said on an average depending upon price band typically higher price band are little more frequent as they (people) have the financial capability to do it.

"But on average, it is about 16-18 months. It has gone down from 22-24 months two years back. But there are people who change phones every 5-6 months."