Jio Grabs Cellular Opportunity: Feature Phone Dominates Global, Domestic Telecom Markets In 2018, Says Report

Jio Phone, Reliance Jio’s 4G feature phone has reportedly dominated both, the global and domestic feature phone markets during calendar year 2018 with 15 per cent coverage of the worldwide market and more than one-third of the Indian market.

In the latest numbers that were shared by Counterpoint Research, it is seen that Jio was the market leader with 38 per cent share, followed by Samsung at 13 per cent, iTel at 8 per cent, Nokia HMD and Lava at seven per cent each. In the international market, JioPhone accounted for 15 per cent of the market closely followed by iTel at 14 per cent and HMD Nokia at 13 per cent. Samsung held seven per cent of the global market share last year followed by Tecno at six per cent and Lava at three per cent.

The global feature phone market in 2018 grew at 7 per cent year on year to 480 million units with Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Asia Pacific being the only regions recording growth, Counterpoint stated, adding that India logged the maximum feature phone shipments in 2018, which grew 11 per cent year on year to 187 million units.

As per the report, Jio led the Indian market, clocking an annual growth of 13 per cent in 2018.

During the last quarter of 2018, India contributed the most to global feature phone shipments with a 38 per cent market share, followed by MEA at 31 per cent. During Q4 CY2018, Jio was again the market leader with 38 per cent of the domestic market, followed by Samsung (14 per cent), Lava (8 per cent), iTel (8per cent) and Nokia HMD (6 per cent).

Counterpoint in a report last month said that Jio has been the fastest to see the opportunity and adopt the platform to acquire tens of millions of 2G feature phone users to its 4G network with its KaiOS-powered 4G smart feature phone.