Clashing over cheeky ads, Apple and Samsung confront Xiaomi in India’s smartphone battleground, where premium brands are gaining traction.
Smartphone giants Apple and Samsung have sent legal notices to Xiaomi in India, objecting to advertisements that feature comparative mock-ups of rival devices.
According to reports, the two companies have issued cease-and-desist communications, arguing that Xiaomi’s campaigns unfairly disparaged their products. Both Apple and Samsung maintain that such promotions risk damaging the premium positioning of their brands, particularly in India, where they dominate the high-end segment.
Comparative advertising is not new in the technology industry, but the companies contend that Xiaomi’s tone crossed the line between competition and brand denigration. Legal notices of this nature typically demand the immediate withdrawal of content and a halt to any further publication.
The dispute follows a series of print campaigns rolled out by Xiaomi earlier this year. In April, the company ran a full-page advert across major newspapers, declaring ‘Happy April Fools’ Day’ to anyone who believed Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max camera was superior to Xiaomi’s 15 Ultra.
The month before, Xiaomi had described the iPhone camera as ‘cute’ in another campaign tied to the launch of its 15 series in India. The company has also taken jibes at Samsung in similar advertisements.
Such strategies are often referred to as ambush marketing, in which one brand leverages the visibility of another to draw attention to its own products, without any formal association.
Xiaomi has traditionally been recognised for offering affordable devices, but is now pushing deeper into the premium category. Its aggressive advertising has coincided with efforts to challenge Apple and Samsung in this space.
Market data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) shows Samsung leading the Indian smartphone market in the second quarter of 2025 with a 14.5 per cent share. Xiaomi followed at 9.6 per cent, while Apple held 7.5 per cent.
Apple’s shipments, however, grew 21.5 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2025, reaching 5.9 million units. The iPhone 16 emerged as the most shipped model in India, accounting for 4 per cent of overall smartphone sales.
Apple also strengthened its presence with the opening of a fourth retail outlet in Pune, underlining the competitive intensity of India’s fast-growing premium smartphone market.
Read more: India Smartphone Market Grows 1% In 1H25, Rebounds In Q2
