Mobile handset market sees a widening divide as mass segment suffers

Premium buyers are flocking to outlets, but mass segment is under pressure

There has been a sharp rise in demand for and record shipments of premium smartphones, but that hasn’t been the case with the mass market segment.  

A sharp fall in shipment of feature phones and poor growth in the affordable handset market against the bumper growth in the premium segment is indicating a widening gap between them.

During the September quarter, all major premium players – from Apple to Samsung –registered record growth. Apple’s iPhone shipments grew a record 67 per cent year-on-year to 800,000 units. Rival Samsung saw a fourfold growth for its luxury segment, while OnePlus became the fastest growing