Vivo has taken the number two spot in the Indian smartphone market for the first time. Samsung slid to third place in Q1 2020, while Xiaomi remained on top.

Xiaomi remains number one, but BBK dominates overall
Photo by Sam Byford / The Verge
Vivo shipped more smartphones in India than Samsung for the first time ever last quarter, according to data from Canalys. The companys shipments nearly doubled year-on-year to 6.7 million units, almost 20 percent of the market, securing it second place behind Xiaomis 10.3 million units and 31-percent share. Samsungs shipments slid 14 percent to 6.3 million units, making it the third-biggest brand ahead of Realme and Oppo.
Overall, the Indian market grew 12 percent year-on-year despite the country going into lockdown in late March. Its worth pointing out that Vivo is a BBK Electronics brand alongside Realme and Oppo. If the sales of all three were combined, the huge Chinese conglomerate which also owns OnePlus would easily take the number one spot with more than 40 percent market share.
Canalys analyst Madhumita Chaudhary, however, calls Vivos victory bittersweet. The company is the main sponsor of the Indian Premier League, a massively popular Twenty20 cricket league that takes place every spring, and Chaudhary says Vivos shipments were intended to ensure high levels of stock. Since the IPL season has been postponed, it will be harder for Vivo to achieve its expected sell-through even if the lockdown is lifted.
Still, the figures demonstrate Vivos growing brand power in India even if its unable to account for an unprecedented pandemic. BBKs dominance, too, is only getting stronger Realme in particular has grown its shipments by 200 percent over the past year.