A year ago, reviewers often questioned why brands were still launching 4G phones when India was rapidly expanding its 5G network. But things are changing in 2026. 4G phones are making a comeback, especially in the budget smartphone segment. Even new smartphone brands are launching 4G models on purpose, mainly to keep prices affordable.
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The Memory Squeeze That Revived 4G
One of the biggest reasons behind the return of 4G phones has nothing to do with mobile networks. It is the rising price of RAM and storage chips.
A global memory shortage, partly driven by strong demand from AI data centres, has made RAM and storage more expensive for smartphone companies.
Industry tracker Counterpoint Research estimates that average smartphone prices could rise by around 15 percent through the first half of 2026, with some models seeing even bigger price increases.
This becomes a serious problem for phones priced below Rs. 15,000, where brands have very little room to increase prices.
IDC data shows that shipments of smartphones priced below roughly Rs. 9,000 fell by more than 74 percent year on year in the June 2026 quarter.
This price segment now accounts for only 4.5 percent of India’s smartphone market, compared to 15.6 percent a year earlier.
So brands have a simple option to control costs. They can remove 5G support, use older LCD displays and choose cheaper LPDDR4x RAM instead of newer components.
This helps them keep smartphone prices low.
New Players Are Walking In Through the 4G Door
What makes the current situation interesting is that it is not just older smartphone companies launching cheaper 4G phones. New brands are also entering the market with 4G devices.
Fire-Boltt, which built a user base of more than four crore customers through its smartwatches, has entered the smartphone market with its boltt sub-brand.
Its first smartphone lineup includes the boltt Ace 5G and the cheaper boltt Evo 4G.
This looks like a deliberate decision.
As a new smartphone brand, boltt had no old 4G inventory to clear. It could have entered the market with only 5G phones.
Instead, it chose to launch a 4G phone as an important part of its first lineup. The company appears to be betting that affordable pricing matters more than 5G support for many budget smartphone buyers.
Grab the boltt Evo 4G on Flipkart if the Unisoc T7250, 6.79-inch 120Hz display and 6,000mAh battery suit your needs.
Reports also suggest that OnePlus is considering an India-only 4G smartphone under its N-series.
This would be an interesting change for a company that has spent years focusing mainly on premium and flagship-like smartphones.
Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but even the possibility of such a phone shows how important the budget 4G market has become.
Established Brands Are Leaning Back Into 4G Too
It is not just new brands entering the 4G segment.
Vivo, Oppo, Itel, Infinix, Motorola and Samsung have also expanded their 4G smartphone lineups after spending years pushing buyers towards 5G phones.
The market numbers show the same trend.
According to Counterpoint Research, 4G’s share of Indian smartphone shipments increased to 12 percent in the June quarter, compared to 7 percent at the end of 2025.
IDC also recorded a similar increase, with 4G’s share moving from 5.8 percent to 11.1 percent during the same period.
This does not mean brands believe 4G is the future. India’s 5G rollout will continue, and 5G will remain important for the smartphone industry.
The return of 4G is mainly about keeping smartphones affordable and protecting profit margins in the lowest price segments.
What You Actually Get in a 4G Phone Right Now
Buying a 4G smartphone today does not necessarily mean buying a slow or badly equipped phone.
Modern budget 4G phones now offer large displays, 120Hz refresh rates, bigger batteries and improved durability while keeping prices low.
| Phone | Price | Display | Battery | Chipset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| boltt Evo 4G | Rs. 9,999 (4GB/64GB) | 6.79-inch HD+, 120Hz | 6,000mAh | Unisoc T7250 |
| itel Zeno 200 4G | Rs. 9,999 (4GB/128GB) | 6.75-inch HD+, 120Hz | 5,000mAh | Unisoc T7250 |
| Redmi A5 4G | Rs. 7,499 (4GB/128GB) | 6.88-inch HD+, 120Hz | 5,200mAh | Unisoc T7250 |
The itel Zeno 200 is listed on Amazon here. It also offers IP65 dust and water resistance along with MIL-STD 810H durability claims, which are useful additions at this price.
The Redmi A5 4G is available on Amazon here. It is cheaper than the other two phones while still offering a 120Hz display and 5,200mAh battery.
For light users, that large battery should comfortably help the phone last longer between charges.
The GST Angle Nobody Is Talking About Yet
There is another factor that could make budget smartphones even more interesting.
Industry body AIMRA has asked the Finance Ministry to reduce GST on smartphones priced below Rs. 15,000 from the current 18 percent to 5 percent.
If this happens, it could directly benefit the same price segment where 4G phones are becoming popular again.
CMR estimates that smartphones priced below Rs. 15,000 account for roughly one-third of India’s total smartphone sales volume.
That is a huge market, which is why major smartphone brands do not want to leave this segment even when profit margins are low.
For buyers, the situation is fairly simple.
A 4G phone in 2026 can offer a bigger display, smoother 120Hz refresh rate, larger battery and better overall hardware than many older 4G smartphones.
In some cases, spending the same amount on a 4G phone instead of a 5G phone could get you more RAM, more storage, a bigger battery or a better display.
The main compromise is obvious: you will not get 5G connectivity.
If you mainly use your phone for calling, WhatsApp, YouTube, social media, browsing and other everyday tasks, that compromise may not matter as much as it once did.
What is LPDDR4x? LPDDR4x is an older and cheaper type of smartphone RAM. It is slower than newer LPDDR5 memory used in more expensive phones, but for normal tasks such as calling, browsing, messaging and streaming, most budget users may not notice a major difference.