Indian smartphone market grows, but OnePlus and Realme among biggest losers

India’s smartphone market had a strong festive quarter this year, growing 4% year-on-year, its highest growth in five years, according to new data from IDC. But while premium phone sales soared, brands like Realme and OnePlus found themselves losing ground.

The growth was driven largely by people spending more on expensive models, particularly from Apple and Samsung. Apple had its best-ever quarter in India, shipping 5 million iPhones between July and September 2025. For the first time, it claimed the fourth spot in India’s overall smartphone rankings. The iPhone 16 turned out to be the most popular smartphone of the quarter, while the new iPhone 17 series also made a strong debut.

Festive discounts, cashback offers, and easy financing schemes helped drive demand, especially for older flagship phones. Both online and offline stores slashed prices on premium devices, making them more accessible to buyers who wanted to upgrade. However, this shift toward pricier phones meant that demand for entry-level Android models weakened — a space long dominated by Xiaomi and Realme.

Realme faced a similar challenge. Despite offering feature-packed budget phones, it couldn’t match the aggressive offline push of rivals like Vivo and OPPO, both of which saw stronger growth.

The Indian market is moving from value to premium (average selling price rose by 13.7 % YoY to US$294 / ~Rs 26,000). However, this seems to have put pressure on brands operating in budget and mid-tier segments such as Realme and OnePlus.

OnePlus is experiencing a steeper drop in shipments in Q3, even as the overall market grew modestly, indicating challenges for its mid-tier strategy in the current premium-led cycle.

OnePlus clearly suffered as it saw volume shipment plummet by 30.5 % in Q3 2025 in India.

According to IDC, the average smartphone price in India reached a record high of around ₹24,000, underscoring the country’s shift toward more expensive devices. Vivo remained India’s top smartphone brand for the seventh consecutive quarter, while OPPO climbed to the second spot, overtaking Samsung. Motorola was another surprise performer, recording over 50% growth, thanks to successful mid-range models.

But the festive high may not last. IDC warns that excess stock of budget phones and rising component prices could slow the market in the last quarter of 2025. For brands like OnePlus and Realme, the challenge now is to reinvent themselves for a market that’s clearly moving up the price ladder.