• 81% of itel’s users associate the brand with strength and durability, while 79% appreciated that the design was convenient, and 74% of users felt the brand was reliable
• itel led the brand durability perception at 91%, followed by HMD at 89% and Lava at 86% in the feature phone segment
• itel recorded one of the highest durability scores across categories, driven by strong service reliability and robust device protection performance

New Delhi, April 28th, 2026: itel, a leading electronics brand known for making technology accessible through its latest smartphones, and other gadgets, has emerged as the top-ranked brand on the latest Cyber Media Research (CMR) report on The Rising Role of Durability, Reliability, and Affordability in India’s Device Market. Based on the cross-segment durability performance, along with portfolio strength and breadth, itel emerged as the top brand with an impressive Durability Index of 0.86 in the sub 10K segment, followed by Samsung (0.79) and Vivo (0.72). With a massive customer base of 15 crores, itel is now present in more than 80 countries globally.

According to Prabhu Ram, VP – Industry Research Group (IRG), CyberMedia Research (CMR), “The sub-INR 10,000 segment in India is witnessing a fundamental shift in consumer priorities, with durability, reliability, and affordability (DRA) becoming central to purchase decisions. Consumers today are actively seeking devices that combine everyday strength, consistent performance, practical design, and dependable service support. At CyberMedia Research (CMR), our study highlights strong consumer associations with these attributes, with a majority linking preferred brands to long-lasting build quality, trustworthiness, and usability. High durability perception scores across feature phones and smartphones, along with robust reliability and device protection metrics, are increasingly shaping purchase consideration and future intent across urban and aspirational markets.”

itel emerged as a strong performer in the CMR Durability Index, scoring 0.65 in feature phones and 0.86 in smartphones, with consistently high reliability and service scores.

Speaking about the CMR study, Arijeet Talapatra, CEO of itel India said, “Durability is at the core of everything we build. We believe true innovation is measured not just by what we create, but by how long it lasts. We are honoured to receive this recognition from CMR, which reaffirms the durability and reliability that define itel’s products. The results of this study are a strong testament of how consistently we have delivered on our brand promise across price points and product categories.”

In the feature phone segment, itel leads in brand durability perception at 91%, followed by HMD at 89% and Lava at 86%. In smartphones, itel secured the second place at 85%, followed by Vivo at 84%, placing itel firmly among the top three brands across device categories. Among current itel users, the brand scores significantly on affordability (58%), reliability (56%), and durability (53%) in the feature phone segment. On brand image, 85% of users feel they get great value for money, 81% associate itel with strength and durability, 79% appreciate its design, and 74% consider it a trustworthy and reliable brand.

The brand also delivered a strong 0.88 score in smart devices – one of the highest in this category – reinforcing its focus on dependable performance and everyday durability. 51% of surveyed consumers were interested in buying an itel feature phone in the future followed by 43% for HMD and 29% for Lava. Similarly, 30% showed interest in purchasing an itel smartphone in future – one of the highest in the segment. The CMR report highlights a broader shift in how Indian consumers define durability. Durability is now a non-negotiable factor at the point of consideration, not just a post-purchase reassurance.

The latest CMR Durability Index surveyed 2,086 feature phone and smartphone users aged 18 to 35 years across 13 cities in India, spanning Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Mysuru, Coimbatore, Nashik, Gangtok, Haridwar, and Bhubaneswar, among others. Combining real-world durability dimensions into a single score to reflect true, everyday reliability. Higher index values indicate stronger consumer confidence, driven by consistent performance and dependable service.