Indian smartphone buyers are increasingly looking for AI features, but their priorities remain firmly rooted in everyday performance. Amazon.in’s first Best in Tech Survey, conducted in July 2026 with more than 40,000 responses, found that AI now influences smartphone purchase decisions for 82% of buyers.
Performance and speed remain the top priority, influencing 87% of respondents, followed by battery life at 79% and camera quality at 77%. Battery is also the biggest issue buyers want manufacturers to address, with 22% naming it as the top improvement needed on their current phone. Camera quality followed at 17%, while performance stood at 12%.
Contextual AI leads smartphone preferences
Among AI features, contextual assistance ranked first at 25%. Generative photo editing followed at 18%, visual search at 17% and adaptive battery management at 11%.
“How customers buy a smartphone today has changed,” said Zeba Khan, Director, Consumer Electronics, Amazon India. She said the survey was created because many assumptions about Indian smartphone buyers are made without directly asking them.
Premium smartphone demand is rising
The Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 price range remains the largest segment, accounting for 42% of buyers. At the same time, 1 in 3 buyers is considering smartphones priced at Rs 50,000 or more, including 17% looking at devices above Rs 75,000.
This premium demand is not limited to major cities. Tier-3 cities accounted for 15% of buyers considering these higher-priced devices, compared with 18% in metros.
Reviews and ratings also have a stronger influence than discounts. They mattered to 47% of buyers during the purchase decision, while price and deals influenced 35%.
More than half of buyers keep their smartphones for 2 years. However, 48% plan to upgrade within the next 3 months.
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