Down but not out: The big four of Indian smartphone industry

Despite dip in sales, Micromax, Intex, Lava & Karbonn continue to assert influence over current smartphone users

When Nilesh Yadav damaged his mobile phone last December, after it fell from his hand, his friends had insisted that he buys a sleek Redmi phone with 4GB RAM. Or at the least a cheaper version of it, priced at Rs 6,999. But Yadav (26), a Delhi-based media professional, instead bought ELYT Dual from Intex. Apart from dual front camera feature at the same price, his familiarity with brand influenced the purchase decision, he says. He is not alone. There are other patrons of the Indian brand, who continue to stick to it during the downtime. 

While Intex, like Micromax,