New rules for e-commerce portals will not hurt smartphones' growth in 2019
Snazzier phones with premium price tags are set to vie for Indian customers' wallets in 2019, but it would be entry-level and affordable smartphones driving sales volume in the world's second largest smartphone market. However, exclusive launches and deep discounts on e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon could become a thing of the past as new rules for online marketplaces with new rules coming into effect in February. According to experts, 2018 was a vibrant year for smartphone companies in India as shipments grew by an estimated 11 per cent to about 150 million units. And the growth streak is expected to get a bit better at 12 per cent in 2019. The stellar growth saw India uprooting the US as the the world's second largest mobile phone market by volume -- ranking behind China but handset prices have been skewed towards lower-end of the market. Read More Business Standard