New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS): Smartphone processor performance has taken the lead in smartphone purchase decisions among Indians, followed by battery life, storage capacity and camera quality, according to a report on Monday.

With increasing reliance on smartphones, consumers are more cautious and informed in their purchase decisions. As a result, they are now willing to pay a premium for faster processors to ensure better performance, said the report by Counterpoint Research.

According to the survey, 28 per cent of the respondents believe processor performance significantly impacts overall device performance.

When it comes to paying extra for features, processor speed tops the list, with 16 per cent willing to spend more, followed by battery life (13 per cent) and 5G connectivity (12 per cent), the findings showed.

According to senior research analyst Shivani Parashar, processor performance has become the key factor for consumers when purchasing a smartphone, as 84 per cent of the respondents are familiar with the role of chipsets in a smartphone.

As GenAI continues to evolve, the smartphone experience is set to become even more personalised. Chipset companies are driving innovation as the industry shifts focus from simple connectivity to AI-powered processors that deliver smarter, faster and more personalised smartphone experiences, said Parashar.

According to the survey, Qualcomm, Exynos and MediaTek are the top chipset brands people are familiar with.

Meanwhile, the smartphone market in the country is poised for significant growth in 2025, with a projected 6 per cent increase (year-on-year) driven by improving consumer sentiment and government initiatives aimed at reducing unemployment.

According to a latest report by Counterpoint, India's smartphone market has emerged as the second largest globally by unit volume and third largest by value in the third quarter of 2024.

The smartphone volume grew by 3 per cent in Q3 2024 (July-September), while its value surged by an impressive 12 per cent to reach an all-time record for a single quarter.