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The most preferred size for smartphones in India is 5 inches, as the current marketplace has 25 million units and is growing at a rate of 50 percent annually, reports The Times of India. Furthermore, market watchers also agree that 5 inches, measured diagonally, is the preferred choice and clear winner In this highly competitive and growing market in India.

According to research firm IDC, for the second quarter of ending June 2013, the sales of smartphones with screen sizes from 5 inches to 6.9 inches grew 17 times from last year. To be more specific, sales are brisk for screens that are 4.75 inches. HTC offers handsets with screen sizes of 4.7 inches, while Samsung has screen sizes of 5 inches. Reports indicated that even Apple is considering increasing the screen size of their flagship iPhone from 4.8 inches to 6 inches, as it's currently only 4 inches.

Interestingly, I wonder why Apple didn't already do so with their latest iPhone offering last week? That being said, it's safe to assume Apple will catch up quick and won't left behind in the dust, as BlackBerry is. Then again, BlackBerry's demise has been predicted for months and screen size has been the last of their issues.

The preference for 5-inch screens amounts to a combination of both price and performance, and what is called pocketability. That is, as the names suggests, how easy is it for a device to slip into a pocket on a pair of jeans, pants, or even a shirt pocket. Let's be frank, some of the newer devices with larger screens, can't easily be stored in clothing and as such, effects the overall experience for consumers. Furthermore, smaller devices, while more affordable with smaller screens, simply have less processing speeds and viewing the screen itself can be a nightmare. Also, and I say this from personal experience, you have more chances of losing or misplacing your device, the smaller it is, hence size does matter.

As such, Indian consumers are happy with the 5-inch screen size, and are also comfortable with the range they’ll be expected to pay. That is, somewhere in the range of 10,000 rupees (US$160) to 20,000 rupees (US$320). Of course, this varies on the brand and model, and Indian consumers can expect to obviously pay more if they opt to purchase devices with larger screens. By the same token, they also receive more bells and whistles, with the tradeoff being how and where will they be able to store devices?

Personally, I think it looks a bit off seeing someone walking and talking on a 7-inch tablet. I thought handsets were supposed to get smaller in size over time. Size is increasing and it just reminds me of some of the iconic Motorola brick phones I had seen in the 1980's and 1990's.

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The rising demand for affordable smartphones in India has lead to increase in demand for domestic products, helping local manufacturers surpass demand from international brands such as Apple and Samsung, according to market research firm IDC.

According to the IDC data, for the Asia/Pacific region, excluding Japan, homegrown vendors shipped 46 million units, while Apple and Samsung combined only shipped 35 million units for the 2nd quarter of 2013. In the latest statistics, Samsung kept its lead ahead of Micromax in second and Karbonn in third.

Furthermore, IDC recognized Indian phonemakers such as Micromax, Karbonn, Lava, and even Intex as rising stars in the emerging smartphone market in India. Homegrown companies comprised of 38 percent for volume in the 2nd quarter of 2013, up from 20 percent in the same quarter in 2012 and 7 percent in the same quarter for 2011.

Clearly, Indian devices are receiving more brand awareness and recognition than ever before as Indian consumers are leaning towards domestic products instead. If you ask me, except for the name itself, I personally think Indian devices are just as good as any devices sold from Apple, BlackBerry, and Samsung.

That being said, there is one drawback to purchasing Indian devices that many Indian consumers aren't aware of. Even though all of the devices are unlocked and can easily be used with all Indian mobile operators, the devices itself only work in India. The GSM bands and frequencies Indian devices currently are equipped with means they only work in the Indian sub-continent. Consequently, those roaming internationally in places such as Europe or North America won't be able to use their devices.

This is a shortcoming which I feel Indian companies should address in the long term, as then eventually their devices could be exported and sold abroad. Furthermore, this would alleviate the current international roaming issues Indian consumers face with an Indian device. On the contrary, devices made by Nokia and Samsung in India, for example, that are also unlocked, do work abroad. However, these devices, as they're manufactured in India, are usually just for sale within India itself.

Furthermore, Indian companies could reduce costs to consumers even further by sourcing production of parts within India itself. At the moment, all the parts come from China and final assembly takes place in India. As a result, the import tariffs for these parts are passed on to Indian consumers. Now, with the depreciating Indian rupee, even the prices for the most basic Indian device are set to rise in the short term. That being said, India is still probably one of the only places in the world where you can purchase a decent device for less than US$50.