Gone are the days when Indian users opted for Nokia mobile phones for its durability. According to a recent survey, many Indians today change their device in less than two years so that they can use new applications.
The survey was conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) which quizzed 1,370 respondents in the age group of 20 to 30 years. Nearly 39 per cent of them said they switch to a new phone in less than two years for new applications.
The findings suggest that friends are the single most important source of information while purchasing a handset. Thirty nine per cent of the respondents said they were influenced by brand name the first time they bought a handset, 17 per cent were influenced by price, and 10 per cent were influenced by the availability of the latest model. But for the second purchase, quality ranked on top for 15 per cent of the respondents.
The survey also said applications, Bluetooth, GPRS, built-in camera, FM radio, MP3 player, video recording and speaker phone are key factors influencing purchase among young mobile phone users who are inclined towards social networking, music, games, news, surfing the net, chatting with friends and family, and even checking their bank balance on their handsets.
Notably, India now ranks as the second fastest growing telecom market in the world after China with 59.1 crore users in urban areas and 30.1 crore in rural. Among manufacturers, Nokia remains a leader with 39 per cent market share followed by Samsung with 17.2 per cent and Micromax 6.9 per cent — the rest being split among Blackberry, LG, G Five, Karbonn, Spice, Maxx, Sony Ericsson and others.
Tele-density in urban areas is 65.91 per cent and in rural areas it is 34.09 per cent. The next phase of growth will come from rural markets, said ASSOCHAM, adding that the introduction of dual SIM technology has been a game-changer for the handset market.