Driven by Q2 growth, India’s smartphone market grows slightly in 1H25, with Apple leading and ASPs rising amid subdued consumer demand and intense competition.
India’s smartphone market showed a modest 0.9% year-on-year (YoY) growth in the first half of 2025, reaching 70 million units, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). While growth has returned after a two-quarter slump, subdued consumer demand and rising average selling prices (ASPs) are expected to limit a full recovery.
The report highlighted that in Q2 of 2025, shipments surged by 7.3% YoY to 37 million units, aided by several factors. New model launches, price reductions on older models, and increased marketing efforts in offline channels boosted growth. Despite this, the rising ASPs, which hit a record US$275 in Q2, pose challenges for the overall market.
Apple continued its strong performance, with shipments rising 21.5% YoY to 5.9 million units in 1H25. The iPhone 16 was the top-selling model in India, accounting for 4% of all smartphone shipments.
In contrast, the entry-level segment (sub-US$100) saw the strongest growth, up 22.9% YoY to capture 16% of the market share, largely driven by Xiaomi’s Redmi A4/A5 models.
The mass budget segment (US$100-200) grew by a modest 1.1% YoY but saw its share dip from 44% to 42%. Brands like vivo, OPPO, and realme continued to lead this segment, together holding a 60% share.
Meanwhile, the mid-premium (US$400-600) segment grew by 39.5%, with OPPO and OnePlus making notable gains.
The premium segment (US$600-800) experienced the most significant growth, at 96.4%, with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 models accounting for more than 60% of shipments. The super-premium category (US$800+) grew by 15.8%, with Samsung overtaking Apple to lead the segment.
Furthermore, shipments via offline channels saw a 14.3% YoY growth, now accounting for 53.6% of total shipments, while online sales remained stagnant. vivo led the market for the sixth consecutive quarter, with Samsung and OPPO following in second and third place, respectively.
Despite these developments, IDC predicts a low single-digit decline in total smartphone shipments for 2025. The ongoing macroeconomic challenges and rising ASPs are expected to dampen demand, particularly in the budget-friendly segment, with iPhones continuing to see strong growth.
