Mohammad Janili is rubbing his hands together with glee. "Business in the new year has got off to a good start and mobile handsets are flying off the shelves," he says.
The mobile-phone salesman based in Mumbai says his best-selling phones are Samsung brands costing about 2,000 rupees (Dh142.56).
"Most popular are Samsung's C3011, which is a multimedia phone. Second-best seller is C2232, a dual SIM handset. But Nokia is not too far behind. The low-cost phones are selling well," he says.
Mr Janili's story has a familiar ring all over the country.
International handset makers such as the Finnish Nokia and South Korean Samsung are engaged in vigorous competition over market share in India. It seems Nokia is in danger of losing the contest.
In the past couple of years, the Finns have ruled the roost by overall sales. Nokia had a tight grip on the market with its share hitting 40 per cent in the country.
But this year looks likely to be a different story. A report leaked to the Indian media by GfK Nielsen shows Samsung has aggressively expanded its market share in smartphones and now holds the number one spot. GfK would not confirm the figures.
IDC, another global research house, says the data for the third quarter of this fiscal year shows Android, an operating system used by Samsung and SonyEricsson, has beaten Nokia's Symbian in the Indian market.
And there is more. According to data released last month by the research company CyberMedia, smartphone shipments in India touched 7.9 million units in the first nine months of last year.
Samsung emerged on top in the September quarter with a 39.7 per cent market share, with Nokia trailing at 34.7 per cent and the BlackBerry maker Research In Motion at 12.7 per cent in terms of shipments.
"Nokia's market share has shrunk in India because the competition has become tougher and there are more and more new entrants coming to the market," says Naveen Mishra, a lead analyst at CyberMedia.
"It's hard to predict if Nokia will be able to regain its top spot again. It depends on their strategy."
Nokia, which is promoting its latest smartphone range, called Lumia, dismisses the leaked report, asserting that the brand still holds the top spot in India.
"You need to have competencies in both hardware and software, backed up by strong, global assets and a very strong ecosystem," said a Nokia spokesman. "Nokia is one of very few companies with leading competencies in all areas."
Revenue in the Indian handset market grew by 15 per cent to 331.7 billion rupees last year from 288.9bn rupees the previous year, according to an annual survey by the Indian telecommunications industry journal Voice&Data.
The country's market is very different from others because "bundled" phone services are virtually nonexistent. But price and functionality are still priorities for the Indian consumer.
"Despite the difference, the Indian market is just as price-sensitive and feature-conscious as other markets," says Anant Jain, an account director at Telecom & IT GfK Nielsen India.
"In 2011, we saw the market increasing at the two extreme ends of the price points.
"The higher price point of phones costing more than 10,000 rupees grew due to smartphones' growth, while the lower end, those costing less than 2,000 rupees, has been growing because of multiple-SIM slot phones."
It is a market governed by customers wanting value, which may be the reason Nokia's Symbian platform phones have become less popular: users have to pay for its applications.
"Indian users are extremely cost-conscious and will opt for a phone that offers free applications, such as those phones running the Android operating system, instead of paid ones," says Rahul Gupta, the senior manager of Strategy Analytics in New Delhi.
Many local players, such as Micromax, Lava, Spice, Zen and Karbonn are also breathing down Nokia's neck in the low-cost-phone segment.
Industry observers say the brand at least retains credibility. "The word on the street is that Nokia continues to be a strong brand.
People associate it with quality and long battery life, and the company has managed to maintain this reputation in the lower segment," says Nilabh Jha, a journalist specialising in the mobile phone industry.
Apart from multimedia and smartphones, multiple-SIM handsets are popular in India because people want to be able to switch operators to get the best price for their calls without opening their phones to change SIM cards.
"[The] multiple-SIM slot segment has become the largest segment since the time the first dual-SIM device was launched in 2009. More than 50 per cent feature phones are now with multiple-SIM slots, and these handsets have overtaken single-SIM handset sales for the first time in Q3 2011," says Mr Jain. "This feature catapulted Indian brands to the mainstream of mobile phone industry."
Analysts say Nokia missed the boat with its two-SIM phones. "Nokia was late to market with its dual-SIM handsets, and in the meantime many local and foreign handset makers had managed to establish themselves and steal market share," says Mr Gupta.
Stephen Elop, the Nokia chief executive, insisted in a newspaper interview recently the company's dual-SIM phones were a hit.
"All our dual-SIM launches are doing well and we are witnessing rocketing sales. These launches have also had a halo effect on our single-SIM phones. India has shown that brand plus team plus great execution can deliver strong results," he said.
And it does seem that Nokia is fighting back. The company unveiled a partnership with the global mobile operator Vodafone in India to push its Lumia phone and has engaged in a huge advertising campaign with India's Jet Airways.
The jury is still out on whether the phone manufacturer can regain its lost market share in India. But one thing is sure - Indians' love affair with their gadgets will continue.
"This is the first time I am seeing more customers upgrading their phones than buying a phone for the first time," says the phone vendor Mr Janili.
"People are increasingly focused on phones that have multiple functions and are still affordable."
business@thenational.ae
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Company name: Farmin
Date started: March 2019
Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: AgriTech
Initial investment: None to date
Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Political flags or banners
-
Bikes, skateboards or scooters
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WonderTree%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20April%202016%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Waqas%20and%20Muhammad%20Usman%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karachi%2C%20Pakistan%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%2C%20and%20Delaware%2C%20US%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Special%20education%2C%20education%20technology%2C%20assistive%20technology%2C%20augmented%20reality%3Cbr%3EN%3Cstrong%3Eumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGrowth%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Grants%20from%20the%20Lego%20Foundation%2C%20UAE's%20Anjal%20Z%2C%20Unicef%2C%20Pakistan's%20Ignite%20National%20Technology%20Fund%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
'Of Love & War'
Lynsey Addario, Penguin Press
