iPhone 16 becomes India’s best-selling smartphone, overtaking budget rivals

Apple iPhone 16

Apple has pulled off something that once seemed unlikely in India. The iPhone 16 is now the country’s highest-selling smartphone, beating out far cheaper Android rivals and cementing Apple’s shift from niche premium brand to mainstream player in the world’s second-largest phone market, as per a report by Mint.

According to data from Counterpoint Research cited in the report, Apple sold around 6.5 million iPhone 16 units in the first 11 months of 2025, comfortably ahead of Vivo’s Y29 5G, which shipped 4.7 million units during the same period. That gap is striking, not least because the iPhone 16 sells at more than three times the price of Vivo’s popular budget model.

Even more telling is that the iPhone 15 also made it into the top five best-selling smartphones this year, despite starting at around Rs 47,000, compared to Vivo’s Rs 14,000 price tag. In a market historically dominated by entry-level and mid-range devices, Apple’s showing signals a clear change in buyer behaviour.

Widespread no-cost EMIs, cashbacks, and bank financing schemes have made high-end phones feel attainable to a much larger audience.  What makes Apple’s rise even more notable is the wider market context. India’s smartphone industry is expected to remain largely flat in 2025, marking the fourth straight year of low single-digit growth. Total shipments are projected to reach around 158 million units, up only marginally from last year.

Apple’s sales momentum also reflects a broader strategic push in India. The company has significantly expanded local manufacturing as part of its effort to reduce reliance on China, while simultaneously positioning India as a key growth market rather than just a production base. That intent became visible on the ground this year with the opening of three new Apple Stores in Bengaluru, Pune, and Noida, taking its total retail presence in India to five.

Combined, the iPhone 15 and 16 accounted for around 8% of all smartphones sold in India until November, a significant share for devices positioned firmly at the premium end.