The Indian smartphone market is dynamic and it is difficult to decipher its pulse. But the MSP Tech Insights is back and this time we bring to you the the smartphones that dominated the popularity charts in 2023. Our insights revealed that various factors contributed to the popularity of these devices and these range from brand loyalty and feature appeal to attractive price points.
In 2023, 150 million shoppers visited our platform to make their gadget purchase decisions during the year. However, it is important to note that the MSP’s list of the most popular smartphones is indicative of the phone’s popularity and not its sale. Without further ado, we look at the MySmartPrice Tech Insights Report for the year 2023.
Table of Contents
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
It is quite impressive that the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G seldom left our monthly lists of the 10 most popular smartphones throughout the year.
The Nord CE 3 Lite's improved on the charging front. It's got the smoothest UI in the segment, a high-resolution snapper ...
Read Full Review
Of course, not without a good reason as it is among the most affordable smartphones in India which offers features like a 120Hz LCD panel, the Snapdragon 695 chipset, 67W SuperVOOC charging, and more for under Rs 20,000.
Apple iPhone 15
Apple iPhone 15 was the second most popular smartphone in 2023 on the MySmartPrice platform. The appearance of the iPhone 15 on our most popular smartphones list for the year is noteworthy as it only launched in September. This indicates that iPhones continue to command the aspirational value.
The smartphone comes with features like a 6.1-inch OLED display with the Dynamic Island feature, an A16 Bionic chip, triple rear cameras with a 48MP primary sensor, an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and more. The iPhone 15 starts at Rs 79,900, but it can be bought starting at Rs 77,900 in addition to bank and exchange offers from e-commerce platforms.
Realme 11 Pro Plus
Next up is the Realme 11 Pro Plus, which has done a great job of maintaining its position in MSP’s monthly lists since it launched in June 2023. So, it is only natural that the smartphone was among the most popular this year.
With its unique faux leather back, 200-megapixel camera, curved OLED panel, an adequately powerful processor and insanely...
Read Full Review
For a starting price of Rs 27,999, it comes with some impressive specifications on paper such as a 200MP primary rear camera sensor, a 5,000mAh battery with 100W wired charging support, the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC under the hood, and more.
The festive discounts in India in the October-November period, combined with a high-resolution 200-megapixel camera for under Rs 30,000, the Realme 11 Pro Plus arguably makes it a compelling choice for many.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
The top-end device of this year’s iPhone 15 lineup also turned out to be massively popular in 2023 as well. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is naturally much more expensive than the base iPhone 15 but comes with an impressive set of specs too. These include the powerful Apple A17 Pro chipset, a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED panel, triple rear cameras led by a 48MP shooter, and more.
Apple retailer Imagine Store offers some pretty big discounts on the iPhone 15 series as part of its year-end sale. The model can be bought at an effective price of Rs 1,53,900 including the discount and back offers, which is down from the original price of Rs 1,59,900.
Realme 11 Pro
Another Realme 11 series device to make it to the most popular smartphone list is the Realme 11 Pro. To give a perspective, the smartphone launched in India in June 2023, was among the top three on our list of most popular phones for June and July. While it slid in popularity in the subsequent months, it managed to stay among the top 10.
Realme 11 Pro offers notable upgrades, including a premium faux leather finish and a vibrant curved display for an enhanc...
Read Full Review
So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Realme 11 Pro also made it to our annual list. It is safe to say that the brand itself seems to have made efforts to contribute to the popularity of its latest mid-range smartphone before its successor Realme 12 series makes a debut next year. The Realme 11 Pro is priced starting at Rs 23,999. It boasts the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset, a 100-megapixel primary sensor, 67W fast charging, and 120Hz curved AMOLED display, among others.
Vivo T2X
Vivo T2X launched in India in April 2023. Given the T2X is among the most affordable smartphones to offer 5G connectivity support, it seems to be sought after by many. Starting at Rs 12,999, the Vivo T2X is well-balanced in terms of specifications.
Its base model offers 128GB of storage. Apart from this, it offers a 6.58-inch Full HD+ display, an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 6020 processor a dual-rear camera setup, and a 5000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support.
OnePlus Nord 3 5G
The OnePlus Nord 3 5G is another smartphone that users seem to have been interested in throughout the year. OnePlus has created a niche for itself with devices that offer great value for money at competitive prices. It has also managed to create a pool of brand loyalists through a focus on consumer experience, active community engagement, and more.
The OnePlus Nord 3's upgrades are worthy of making it the most sought-after mid-range smartphone in recent years, especia...
Read Full Review
The smartphone was announced at a starting price of Rs 33,999, but as a part of festive offers by OnePlus in October, it was up for grabs with a Rs 3,000 instant bank discount, an Amazon coupon for Rs 2,000 as well as a pair of OnePlus Nord Buds 2r earbuds for free.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
April 2022’s Nord CE 2 Lite 5G making its way to the most popular devices for 2023 is also a testament to OnePlus’ brand value in India. Even though its successor, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, was announced in April 2023, people still seem to be interested in a device that’s a year and a half old.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G was launched at a starting price of Rs 19,999. However, it was available at its lowest price during Amazon’s Great Freedom Festival Sale in August, bringing it down to an effective price of Rs 17,749. Specifications include a 6.59-inch IPS LCD with a Full HD+ resolution, a 16MP front camera sensor, a triple rear camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, a Snapdragon 695 SoC under the hood, a 5,000mAh battery, and more.
OnePlus 11R
The OnePlus 11R is an India-exclusive device that was launched in February as an affordable version of the flagship OnePlus 11. The smartphone is performance-focused, reliable, and among the best buys for under Rs 40,000. OnePlus 11R 5G provides a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, a 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor, 100W charging, and more for a starting price of Rs 39,999.
The OnePlus 11R is an excellent choice for everyday users. The reliable battery, striking display, and other features ma...
Read Full Review
In terms of design, the OnePlus 11R 5G has a glass-back design with a plastic frame, which is somewhat similar to the OnePlus 11 5G. The display is a 6.74-inch curved AMOLED one with a 1.5K resolution with support for a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and 1450 nits peak brightness.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G concludes our list of the ten most popular smartphones in 2023. The smartphone was launched in January this year at Rs 27,999 and was available at a discounted price of Rs 17,999 on Flipkart and Mi.com during festive sales in India in October.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro is a sweet deal at Rs 24,999. It manages to perform similarly to its elder sibling at a cheaper pri...
Read Full Review
The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is a good option for those looking for a good smartphone for under Rs 25,000 as the 256GB model is listed for Rs 23,999 online. The smartphone features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, a 50MP triple-rear camera setup, and a 16MP selfie camera. Powered by Dimensity 1080 SoC, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G comes with up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB internal storage.
Top 10 Mobiles in India in 2023: MSP Tech Insights
S. No.
Phone Name
Price Range
% views among the top 10
1
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
₹10k-20k
44.1%
2
Apple iPhone 15
₹75k-100k
19.2%
3
Realme 11 Pro Plus
₹20k-30k
5.8%
4
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Above ₹100k
5.7%
5
Realme 11 Pro
₹20k-30k
5.3%
6
Vivo T2x
₹10k-20k
5.2%
7
Oneplus Nord 3 5G
₹20k-30k
5.1%
8
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
₹20k-30k
4.9%
9
OnePlus 11R
₹30k-40k
4.8%
10
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G
₹10k-20k
4.1%
That brings us to the end of this list. Overall, it seems that smartphones the across price spectrum caught the attention of Indian buyers. Even in terms of brands, consumers sought a variety, but if you want to know which smartphone brands were the most popular in 2023, stay tuned for that list…
