Now Reading: Smartphone financing tenure averages 10 months in Q2 2026
-
01
Smartphone financing tenure averages 10 months in Q2 2026
Smartphone financing tenure in India averaged 10 months in Q2 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. Tier 2 cities led financing-driven purchases, with EMI plans accounting for 57.5 per cent of sales. Tier…
The Story in Brief
Smartphone financing tenure in India averaged 10 months in Q2 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. Tier 2 cities led financing-driven purchases, with EMI plans accounting for 57.5 per cent of sales. Tier 3 markets also crossed 50 per cent penetration. Overall financing is expected to reach 42 per cent of total smartphone sales in 2026.
Apple recorded the highest average tenure at 17.2 months, while Samsung led in units sold through financing. NBFCs are offering EMI plans extending up to 30 months. However, Hindustan Times notes a worrying trend: consumers are taking longer tenures to afford premium phones, partly due to rising device prices from supply chain issues. The report forecasts financing will account for over half of sales in mainline channels.
The Indian Opinion
The typical narrative casts longer EMI tenures as either a consumer-friendly affordability tool or a dangerous debt trap. Both miss the point. The real story is that phone makers like Samsung and Apple are using 30-month no-cost EMIs and trade-ins to mask flat demand and high prices. The test won't be RBI's device-locking framework, but whether defaults rise when interest rates move. Watch how many of these financed phones are returned or repossessed next year.
Sources (2): telanganatoday.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
