The Indian smartphone market hit a five-year high in Q3 2025, with shipments reaching 48 million units—a 4.3% year-over-year growth driven by premium segment demand. Vivo maintained its leadership position while Apple achieved a record 5 million iPhone shipments in a single quarter.
Key Takeaways
- Indian smartphone market grew 4.3% YoY to 48 million units in Q3 2025
- Vivo leads with 18.3% market share; Apple ships record 5 million iPhones
- Premium segment (₹53,000+) grew 43.3%, super-premium (₹71,000+) surged 52.9%
- Average selling price hit record $294 (₹26,000), up 13.7% YoY
Premium Segment Powers Market Growth
The IDC report reveals a clear consumer shift toward premium smartphones. The ₹53,000-71,000 price segment expanded 43.3% annually, increasing its market share from 4% to 6%. Apple dominated this category, with iPhone 16, 15, and 17 models collectively capturing over 70% of sales.
The super-premium segment (above ₹71,000) recorded the strongest growth at 52.9% YoY, with market share rising from 6% to 8%. Apple regained leadership from Samsung in this category, holding 66% and 31% shares respectively.
Apple’s Record-Breaking Performance
Apple’s overall iPhone supplies grew 25.6% during the quarter. The iPhone 16 remained India’s most-shipped smartphone, accounting for 5% of total market shipments.
The newly launched iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air had a record-breaking debut, contributing 16% of Apple’s Q3 shipments—the strongest launch-quarter performance for any iPhone since 2021.
Market Share Distribution
Vivo led the market with 18.3% share following 21% supply growth. The complete vendor ranking shows:
- Vivo: 18.3%
- Oppo: 13.9%
- Samsung: 12.6%
- Apple: 10.4%
- Realme: 9.8%
- Xiaomi: 9.2%
Senior Research Analyst Aditya Rampal noted that e-tailers significantly boosted volumes through discount-led sales of previous-generation flagship models from Apple and Samsung.
Industry Trends and Future Outlook
Qualcomm chipset-based smartphone shipments grew 17.9% YoY, capturing 29.2% market share, while MediaTek’s share declined to 46%.
Despite overall market growth, OnePlus saw shipments plummet 30.5%, while Motorola recorded the highest growth among competitors at 52.4%.
Senior Research Manager Upasana Joshi highlighted that strong holiday sales and flexible payment options boosted Q3 performance. However, she cautioned that demand concentration in premium segments is creating inventory pressure for affordable options.
IDC predicts a shipment decline in Q4 2025 due to component cost increases and post-Diwali price hikes, with full-year 2025 shipments expected below 150 million units.
