Amid uneven demand and year-end volatility, India’s smartphone market delivered 8% value growth in 2025. Apple dominates; one in five devices shipped is now a premium smartphone.
India’s smartphone market delivered modest volume growth but strong value expansion in 2025, reflecting a shift towards premium devices despite year-end volatility. According to recent data from Counterpoint Research, shipments rose 1% year-on-year (YoY), while market value increased 8%.
Premiumisation remained the key growth driver. Higher-priced models continued to gain traction, helping the market offset uneven demand in the mass segment. The premium category, defined as devices priced above ₹30,000, grew 11% YoY by volume and accounted for 22% of total shipments, its highest-ever share.
In volume terms, vivo, excluding iQOO, led the Indian smartphone market in 2025 with a 20% share. Its performance was supported by a strong channel strategy and a camera-focused product approach.
Apple dominated the market by value, capturing a 28% share, the highest annual value contribution recorded by the brand in India.
Furthermore, the iPhone 16 emerged as the top-shipped smartphone model in India in 2025. This marked the largest annual shipment share ever achieved by an iPhone in the country, aided by festival-led promotions and wider retail reach.
According to the report, the year began on a weak note, driven by high inventory levels and fewer new launches. Momentum recovered from the second quarter, driven by fresh models, aggressive promotions and festive stocking.
The third quarter delivered record quarterly value. Shipments slowed again in the fourth quarter as brands focused on inventory correction and absorbed rising component and memory costs.
Samsung ranked second in overall volumes, supported by steady demand across its A, M and F series, and strong traction for its Galaxy S premium lineup. OPPO, excluding OnePlus, placed third, driven largely by its A and K series in the mass market.
Growth varied widely across brands. Motorola was the fastest-growing smartphone brand in 2025, recording 54% YoY growth in volume. CMF emerged as the fastest-growing sub-brand, expanding 83% YoY, following its repositioning as an independent subsidiary of Nothing.
The market softened towards the end of the year. Smartphone shipments fell 4% YoY in the fourth quarter, reflecting post-festive demand slowdown and price increases linked to higher memory costs.
Looking ahead, India’s smartphone market is expected to face a single-digit volume decline in 2026. Rising component prices are likely to weigh on demand below ₹15,000. However, average selling prices are projected to rise by 5%-7% YoY, as brands continue to push premium devices and higher-margin portfolios.
