Smartphone users expected to rise 84% to 859m by 2022: Assocham-PwC study

NEW DELHI: The number of smartphone users in India is expected to rise by 84% to 859 million by 2022 from 468 million in 2017, according to a joint study by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India and PwC.

Ownership of feature phones will shrink to 504 million in 2022 from 701million in 2017, the study noted. About 10% of the population will own tablets three years from now compared with 5.3% in 2017. The low penetration of tablets is a missed opportunity for manufacturers, which offer larger screens that are better for consuming HD content than smartphones, the study pointed out.

Low data tariffs and wider smartphone ownership have made it crucial for content creators and distributors to tailor offerings and services.