Not 5G or AI, this is what's forcing Indians to buy new phones early
A survey conducted by Corning reveals that broken smartphone screens are a primary driver for early device replacement among Indian consumers. Despite the marketing focus on AI and 5G, durability issues and high repair costs are the actual factors influencing consumer purchasing behavior.
Why it matters
This provides insight into consumer behavior in emerging markets, suggesting that hardware durability is a more significant market driver than software-based feature upgrades.
A faster processor, an AI assistant or the promise of uninterrupted 5G might make the idea of a new smartphone tempting. But for a majority of Indian users who replaced their phones earlier than planned, broken glass was the reason.A survey of 1,509 smartphone users found that 53% of Indians said broken glass had caused them to buy a new phone earlier than planned. And dropping a phone is hardly an occasional mishap. As many as 87% of respondents said they had dropped their smartphone in the previous year, while 56% said they felt anxious about drops because of concerns over the durability of the cover glass, revealed an online survey commissioned by Corning, the US company behind Gorilla Glass.The survey conducted across India in November and December 2025 was released in July 2026.
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