iWorld
More than 700 mn smartphone users in India by 2022: Counterpoint report
MUMBAI: Counterpoint Research, a market research company has said that India will have more than a billion smartphone users in the next five years. The number of users will exceed 700 million by the year 2022.
With every passing year, mid-range smartphones (ranging Rs 14,000 – Rs 29,000) are expected to rise. In 2018, the mid-range smartphone segment will see a growth of 20 per cent and by the next five years a humongous rise by almost four times is expected. This will make it one of the most significant segments in the country.
Counterpoint Research associate director Tarun Pathak said, “Features such as full-screen displays, dual-cameras, biometric security and support for Artificial Intelligence (AI) are beginning to make in-roads to the mid-range. They will become widespread over the next few years”.
Counterpoint’s report on “India Mid-Tier Smartphone Segment and opportunity for SoC players”, did mention how users were investing on mid range smartphones and moving on from sub ranged (Rs 10,000) smartphones since many features and capabilities seemed to be common among flagship models.
These advanced features will be enabled with the underlying System-on-Chip (SoCs) and other components. This will help OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to differentiate their offerings in the mid-tier segment at a time when overall smartphone innovation is perceived to have plateaued, explained Pathak.
After China, India is the second largest smartphone industry in the world with more than 400 million active users.
Xiaomi, Asus, Nokia HMD and others will look to give tough competition to Samsung, Vivo, Apple, OPPO and Huawei which were the leading brands in the first half of 2018.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
