India smartphone market ends 2025 on premium high; Apple hits record value share

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

India’s smartphone market closed 2025 with a clear shift toward premium devices, as modest shipment growth was overshadowed by stronger value gains, Counterpoint Research has said.

The year began on a subdued note amid elevated inventory levels and fewer launches. Momentum returned in the second quarter, powered by fresh launches, aggressive promotions and festival-led channel stocking, which pushed the third quarter to a record in terms of value.

Shipments slowed again in Q4, as brands focused on post-festive inventory correction and grappled with rising component costs.

Overall, the market grew a percent from the previous year in volume but a stronger 8 percent in value, underlining sustained premiumization.

Vivo leads

Senior Research Analyst Prachir Singh said Vivo (excluding iQOO) led the market with a 20 percent volume share, driven by its dual play across mass and premium segments.

While the Y and T series supported volumes, Vivo’s X series saw a 185 percent YoY surge, backed by its ZEISS partnership and the new X200 FE.

Samsung ranked second, with strong traction across its A, M and F series in the mass segment and robust premium demand for the Galaxy S line, which achieved its highest-ever shipment share within Samsung’s portfolio.

OPPO (excluding OnePlus) secured the third spot, largely driven by its A and K series.

iPhone aces premiumisation trend

Apple delivered one of the strongest performances in India’s smartphone market in 2025, recording 28 percent year-on-year shipment growth, far ahead of market’s modest 1 percent volume expansion.

The company also captured its highest-ever annual value share in India, underlining how it continues to benefit from the country’s accelerating premiumisation trend. Notably, the iPhone 16 emerged as the top-shipped smartphone model in India during the year — marking the highest annual shipment share ever achieved by an iPhone in the market.

Apple’s growth was driven by stronger channel execution and deeper penetration into smaller cities through multi-brand outlets and premium reseller stores.

Targeted festive-season promotions and effective channel stocking further boosted momentum, particularly in the high-demand Q3 period.

The company also benefited from structural tailwinds in the premium segment (above Rs 30,000), which grew 11 percent YoY and accounted for a record 22 percent of total shipments.

With financing penetration rising sharply — nearly two-thirds of premium purchases were financed — Apple’s high average selling price portfolio proved well-positioned, especially as rising component costs weighed more heavily on budget-focused brands.

India's December-quarter shipments fell 4 percent from the previous year on seasonal demand moderation and price hikes linked to rising memory costs.

OEM snapshot

Chipset maker MediaTek led with a 47 percent shipment share, followed by Qualcomm at 29 percent.

In terms of brand momentum, Motorola was the fastest-growing brand in 2025, clocking 54 percent YoY volume growth, while CMF, operating independently under Nothing, was the fastest-growing sub-brand with 83 percent YoY growth. Nothing itself was the fastest-growing OEM in Q4, expanding 32 percent YoY.

The premium segment (above Rs 30,000) was the fastest-growing category, expanding 11 percent YoY and accounting for a record 22 percent of total shipments.

Financing penetration reached 40 percent of overall smartphone sales.

Counterpoint research director Tarun Pathak said stable macroeconomic conditions, repo rate cuts and controlled inflation supported discretionary spending. However, rising memory and component costs toward the year-end constrained pricing flexibility, particularly in the sub-Rs15,000 segment, exposing budget-focused brands to sharper pressure.

This year, the market is projected to witness a single-digit volume decline as cost pressures weigh on entry-tier demand. At the same time, average selling prices are expected to rise 5-7 percent, further tilting the market toward premium devices and deepening the structural shift in India’s smartphone landscape.