India’s smartphone market saw a strong rebound in the festive third quarter of 2025 (3Q25), reaching its highest level in five years. According to the International Data Corporation, smartphone shipments rose 4.3% year-on-year to 48 million units.
The growth was driven mainly by strong demand for premium smartphones, supported by both new product launches and popular older models. However, the rise in average selling prices and weaker demand for entry-level Android phones slightly slowed overall growth, indicating a continued shift in the Indian market toward higher-value and premium devices.
Top five
Vivo led the market with an 18.3% share, up from 15.8% last year — a 20.7% year-on-year growth. Its strong offline presence, competitive mid-range portfolio, and push into the premium segment helped it strengthen its position.
OPPO retained the second spot with a stable 13.9% share, showing 4.2% growth. Samsung stood in third place, improving slightly from 12.3% to 12.6% (up 6.3% YoY) on the back of steady Galaxy A-series sales and continued strength in foldable and flagship phones.
Apple rose to the fourth place, growing from 8.6% to 10.4% — a 25.6% surge, driven by local manufacturing and rising demand for premium iPhones.
Realme ranked fifth, though its share fell from 11.5% to 9.8% (a 10.9% decline) amid stiff competition from Vivo, OPPO, and Motorola.
Other brands
Xiaomi, once the market leader, slipped from 11.4% to 9.2% (down 15.6%) due to weaker online performance and slowing demand in the budget segment. Motorola emerged as a surprise performer, jumping from 5.7% to 8.3% — a remarkable 52.4% increase. Its success was fuelled by affordable 5G offerings and a clean Android experience that appealed to value-seeking users.
Poco declined from 5.8% to 4.3% (down 21.9%) due to limited new launches and tough competition. iQOO slipped from 4.2% to 3.3% (down 16.9%), maintaining a niche following among gaming enthusiasts. OnePlus faced the steepest drop, from 3.6% to 2.4% (down 30.5%), as it struggled to compete in both the premium and affordable flagship categories.
Top gainer: Apple
Apple achieved its highest-ever quarterly shipments in India, reaching 5 million units and entering the top four for the first time. The brand’s 25.6% YoY growth was supported by robust demand for both new and existing iPhone models.
The iPhone 16 was the most-shipped smartphone in India during the quarter, accounting for 5% of total shipments. Meanwhile, the newly launched iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air posted a record-breaking debut, contributing 16% of Apple’s Q3 shipments — the strongest launch-quarter performance since 2021.
Offline sales on the rise
The offline retail channel continued its strong run, with shipments increasing 21.8% YoY and its market share expanding to 56.4%, up from 48.3% a year earlier. In contrast, the online channel saw its share drop to 43.6% from 51.7% in 3Q24, as shipments fell 12% YoY. The offline growth was driven by festive discounts, dealer incentives, and strategic price adjustments by brands.
While e-commerce platforms also offered promotions, the deepest discounts were focused on premium models, which in turn dampened demand for entry-level and mid-range Android smartphones.