Samsung, Micromax, Sony, LG spark fireworks, all set to launch 4G devices this festive season

It is going to be a sparkling festive season for consumers as well as smartphone makers. Companies like Samsung, Micromax, Lenovo, Sony, LG, Karbonn, Intex, Lava and Gionee are going to launch an array of 4G devices.

The top brands will refresh their handset line-ups with 4G, which has seen a jump of around 20% in sales in the world's fastest growing market.

After Bharti Airtel rolled out its 4G services and upcoming launch of Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio Infocomm, the demand for 4G has gone up.

Shubhajit Sen, chief marketing officer at Micromax Informatics, said the company will be launching around five new 4G smartphones across varied price points and specifications to address needs of the diverse consumer set.

This festive season will also see spurt in online sales. The online-only smartphone sales have contributed to more than 20% of the total smartphone sales between July and September so far, according to Counterpoint Research.

"We soon plan to launch our new premium range of Xperia Z series smartphones in India, alongside global launch. Sony will pump in a total of Rs 250 crore towards marketing during the festive season," said Taro Yamamoto, head, Xperia division, Sony India.

LG has also earmarked nearly Rs 30 crore for marketing spend around Diwali this year and is expected 40-50% boost in sales.

Indian vendors like Intex, Lava and Karbonn are also betting big on the season ahead and expecting to sell around 1 million smartphones.

China's Gionee, which has ventured with Foxconn and Dixon to kick-off domestic production of handsets, will be spending around Rs 50 crore in marketing during the festive season with three new 4G models planned.

Counterpoint has estimated 24% and 26% sequential growth in overall and smartphone market in the third quarter of 2015. In the October-December quarter, the growth is expected to continue because of Diwali falling near mid-November apart from other market forces and competitive landscape like Reliance Jio LTE launch and growth of ecommerce channel.