The extended lockdown in India has resulted in zero shipments for the smartphone players in India in the month of April as factories are shut and it will take two-four weeks for the manufacturing units to resume normal operations once lockdown is relaxed.

The month of March saw a steep annual decline in smartphone shipments, at -19 per cent, due to COVID-19 nationwide lockdown that settled in from March 24. Since then, factories are closed, retail shops are shut and online sellers are busy delivering groceries and other essential items.

Result: April has seen almost zero sales.

“We see zero activity on smartphone shipments part in April and lockdown now entering May amid uncertainties, the Q2 2020 is going to be real challenging for the smartphone makers in the country,” Tarun Pathak, Associate Director, Counterpoint Research, told IANS. “We have been hearing some absolute essential sales happened behind the scenes during the lockdown but yes, those will be in hundreds as against potential 11-12 million smartphone sales which happen in a normal month,” Pathak added. All smartphone brands—from Samsung to Xiaomi to Realme—suspended manufacturing/assembling at their respective plants in the country almost from March 20 onwards. At Realme, there has been a complete suspension on sales and manufacturing since the first 21-day lockdown was announced.