Inside India newsletter: Chip squeeze hits Chinese smartphones in India as Apple, Samsung gain an edge

Hello, this is Priyanka Salve, writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to the latest edition of "Inside India" — your one-stop destination for stories and developments from the world's fastest-growing large economy.Chinese brands dominate the Indian smartphone market, claiming four out of the top five spots, as their low-priced and feature-rich phones appeal to the cost-conscious Indian consumer. But as memory prices surge and Chinese phone-makers pass on those costs, customers are beginning to gravitate toward premium brands such as Samsung and Apple, as financing options improve affordability.Any thoughts on today's newsletter? Share them with the team. The big storyRising memory chip costs are having a contrasting effect on the fortunes of budget Chinese brands and mid-market and premium American and South Korean smartphone companies in India, the world's second-largest market by volume.It is the end of the sub-$150 smartphones, experts told CNBC, adding that after the current inventory is exhausted, newer launches with similar features in this category will have to be priced much higher to account for the rising memory costs.Newer Chinese phone models in India could cost anywher...