India Now Apple's Third-Largest iPhone Market By Volume
On the volume aspect, Vivo (not including iQOO) maintained its lead with a 20% market share, backed by its thorough offline presence and the popularity of its T series in the mid-tier category.
India has emerged as Apple's third-largest market for iPhones by volume, according to data from Counterpoint Research’s Monthly India Smartphone Tracker.
The iPhone market in India saw a 28% market share by value for the July-September quarter of financial year 2026, Moneycontrol reported, citing the data.
Apple entered India's list of top five smartphone brands by volume for the first time, seeing a 9% market share, up 7% from the year-ago period.
Strong sales numbers for iPhone 16 and 15 series along with the fresh launch of the iPhone 17 series garnering record demand, were all factors that affected the market share.
The data was reported amid India's smartphone market seeing its highest-ever quarterly market value on the back of an increased demand for premium smartphones.
The iPhone 16 emerged as the most-shipped smartphone in India for the second straight quarter, with demand spilling over into smaller cities along with metro cities. Its average selling price was raised by burgeoning demand for the 'Pro variant' of the smartphone.
This may be due to India exhibiting signs of adopting a "premiumisation" trend with uptick in aspirational purchases such as Apple smartphones and a larger retail presence of the company.
“With retail inflation easing and supportive fiscal measures improving household liquidity, the festive season began on a strong note as consumer confidence strengthened,” Prachir Singh, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research said.
The premium segment also spearheaded overall market growth with a 29% increase in YoY shipments , increasing the market's total value by 18% and ramping average selling prices up 13% YoY.
India’s smartphone shipments also increased 5% year-on-year in volume and 18% YoY in value, exhibiting a move towards steady, value-led growth. This uptick was credited by the report to festival season sales, strong online and offline marketing campaigns, and financing and trade-in offers that encouraged consumers to upgrade their devices.
“Softer interest rates and easy financing options further fueled upgrade-driven demand, encouraging original equipment manufacturers to stock channels in advance. Aggressive discounts and EMI offers on older models effectively attracted value-conscious buyers and set strong momentum for the quarter," Singh added.
Samsung trailed Apple with a 23% share in market value, on the back of strong sales of its Galaxy S series, AI-powered mid-tier A series, and offers on premium models. The latest Galaxy Z Fold series also saw its highest-ever sales.
On the volume aspect, Vivo (not including iQOO) maintained its lead with a 20% market share, backed by its thorough offline presence and the popularity of its T series in the mid-tier category. Samsung came in second with a 13% share, followed by OPPO (excluding OnePlus), which strengthened its position by expanding its portfolio and improving retailer engagement along with better margins.
“In the third quarter of financial year 2025, the market showed a strong balance between product cycles and channel strategy, even though there were fewer launches compared to last year, Major online and offline sales events helped OEMs clear inventory and build momentum ahead of the festive season," Shubham Singh, research analyst at Counterpoint said.
