Huawei bets big on Indian market to achieve global sales target

Chinese tech giant Huawei is betting on India to play a key role in achieving its global target of shipping 200 million smartphones this year.

The company, which has shipped close to 100 million units in the first half of the year, Tuesday also unveiled its premium smartphone 'Mate 20 Pro' in India for Rs 69,990.

"India is integral to Huawei's global strategy of achieving the 200 million shipments globally by the end of 2018," Huawei Consumer Business group Senior Product Marketing Director Wally Yang said.

According to research firm IDC, Huawei shipped 52 million smartphones in the July-September 2018 quarter globally, ranking second after Samsung (72.2 million) and ahead of Apple (46.9 million).

Talking about its latest product, Yang said the Mate 20 Pro is "powerful and intelligent".

"India is a key market for us and it is our constant endeavour to create value for our Indian customers, offering the most innovative smartphone technology and luxury design as a differentiator in the market," he said.

The company has partnered brands like Leica, Microsoft and Dolby to deliver some of the premium features on the smartphone.

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is equipped with a 40MP main camera, a 20MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera. It has a 6.39-inch curved display and 4,200 mAh battery.

The device would compete with handsets from the stables of companies like Samsung and Apple.

In the above Rs 30,000 category (considered as the premium segment), China's OnePlus continued with its leadership with 30 per cent share in India during the July-September 2018 quarter.

Samsung was the second largest premium brand with a 28 per cent market share, followed by Apple (25 per cent), as per data from research firm Counterpoint.

(With inputs from agencies.)