“Here are the top devices which users searched for in the month of December”
Did you know that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was the most popular smartphone of 2016? Yes, the phone was able to occupy the top spot for nine months straight, including December. And while demonetisation did affect the smartphone industry, it didn’t slow down the pace of phone launches. So now it’s time to see which of the launches from last month garnered consumer attention to rank among the most popular 20 phones. As always, this list is based on the number of user searches for the smartphones, and doesn’t necessarily indicate their sales.
The top 5
As mentioned above, the Redmi Note 3 (review) remains at first place. However, it’s the second device that took us by surprise. Lenovo’s K series has always been a blockbuster, and the latest in the range, the K6 Note, also seems to be continuing in the same vein. Meanwhile, Xiaomi’s budget Redmi 3s Prime (review) leapt five spots to reach the third position. The selfie phenomenon has taken over the world, and that’s apparent as the world’s first phone with a 20MP front camera – the vivo V5 (review) – is at the fourth seating. The Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime (first impressions) has managed to jump two places to sit at fifth position.
The complete list
The devices have risen in popularity not just in the top 5, but in the entire list of top 20 phones too. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the smartphones, along with the change in their ranking in comparison to November, their price segment, and the month of launch in India.
Hits and misses
Table of Contents
New entrants
Lenovo K6 Note: 2nd position
As mentioned above, Lenovo has been quite successful with its K series, and the latest in the range, the K6 Note doesn’t seem any different. With a 5.5-inch full HD display, the K6 Note comes powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, up to 4GB of RAM, and a massive 4,000mAh battery. But the highlight of the smartphone is that it’s available to buy from offline retail stores as well.
Xiaomi Redmi 3S: 13th position
Following the footsteps of the Redmi Note 3 siblings, the compact Redmi 3S gives company to its costlier variant, the Redmi 3S Prime. Priced at Rs 6,999, the Redmi 3S offers quite a lot – a 5-inch 720p display, SD430 chipset, 2GB RAM, and most importantly, a powerful 4,000mAh battery.
Micromax Canvas Juice 4G: 17th position
The Micromax Canvas Juice seems to be playing hide and seek with our list. It finds its place one month, and is ousted the next. That said, it certainly manages to hold its own among the A-listers owing to its decent set of specs, along with a capacious battery of 4,000mAh.
Moto M: 18th position
The latest offering from Lenovo in its Moto series has become quite popular as soon as it got launched. The first all-metal Moto brings to the table a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, MediaTek Helio P15 octa-core chipset, and choice between 3 or 4GB of RAM.
The exits
- vivo V3 Max
- Xiaomi Mi Max
- vivo V3
- Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro
Trend analysis
Samsung retains the top spot followed by Lenovo and Xiaomi
We have to applaud Samsung as the Korean giant has shifted gears swiftly in the wake of Chinese competition. While 2016 was a mixed year for the brand – considering the Note7 explosion fiasco – its budget smartphones held its flag high. Both the Galaxy J series and On range ensured that it ranks high on the popularity charts. The Chaebol is being followed by both Lenovo and Xiaomi with four offerings each in the list. Interestingly, the other brands in our list all have one device each.
The sub-Rs 10k segment is regaining popularity
Over the course of 2016, we saw consumers getting comfortable in buying phones priced in the mid-range. However, the last month of the year threw a surprise as devices priced under Rs 10,000 seemed to be getting popular again. Out of the top 20, there were 11 handsets priced between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000, while the remaining ones were priced in the affordable segment.
With the year 2017 already starting on a high note in terms of smartphone launches – especially considering the comeback of the iconic brand Nokia – we couldn’t be more excited about what 2017 has in store for us. So stay tuned to 91mobiles to stay on top of news, reviews and more.
