e-commerce
AI influences 82 per cent of smartphone purchases in Amazon survey
Performance, battery life and cameras still outrank AI as buyers weigh their next upgrade
MUMBAI: AI may be the new phone feature everyone is talking about, but Indian buyers still want their basics to work brilliantly. Artificial intelligence now influences smartphone purchase decisions for 82 per cent of buyers, according to Amazon India’s inaugural Best in Tech Survey.
Conducted in July 2026, the survey collected responses from more than 40,000 Amazon.in customers across smartphones, laptops, wearables, home entertainment devices and appliances. The findings will also feed into Amazon’s second Best in Tech Awards, scheduled for September 2026.
The research suggests AI has moved from a premium talking point to a mainstream expectation in smartphones. Yet when it comes to actually choosing a device, traditional specifications continue to call the shots.
Performance and speed ranked as the most important purchase factor, influencing 87 per cent of respondents. Battery life followed at 79 per cent, while camera quality was important to 77 per cent.
Consumers also appear to be looking for AI that does more than simply sound impressive. Contextual assistance was the most sought-after AI capability, selected by 25 per cent of respondents. Generative photo editing and visual search followed, pointing towards demand for features that can simplify everyday tasks rather than merely add novelty.
The battery, meanwhile, remains the smartphone’s biggest sore spot. Twenty-two per cent of respondents said battery performance was the aspect they most wanted improved on their current device. Camera quality followed at 17 per cent, while 12 per cent wanted better overall performance.
The appetite for more expensive devices is also growing. Forty-two per cent of respondents said they were considering smartphones priced between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000, while nearly one-third planned to spend Rs 50,000 or more on their next device.
That premiumisation is no longer confined to India’s biggest cities. Consumers considering smartphones priced above Rs 75,000 were found across metro, Tier II and Tier III markets, suggesting that high-end devices are finding demand beyond the traditional urban premium segment.
How consumers make that purchase decision is changing too. Reviews and ratings were considered influential by 47 per cent of respondents, compared with 35 per cent who placed greater importance on discounts and promotional offers.
Upgrade cycles remain relatively healthy. More than half of those surveyed said they typically keep their smartphones for at least two years, yet nearly half said they planned to upgrade within the next three months.
The findings point to a smartphone market where AI may be opening the door, but performance, battery life and cameras are still deciding whether consumers walk through it.
