Apple has kicked off 2025 with a bang in India. In its best-ever start to the year, the tech giant shipped a whopping three million iPhones in the first quarter alone, a new high for the company in the country. The star of the show? The iPhone 16, which not only turned heads but also became the most-shipped smartphone model in the market, accounting for 4% of all phones shipped in Q1. Thanks to this surge, Apple emerged as the fastest-growing smartphone brand among the top five, clocking an impressive 23% growth compared to last year.
This growth wasn’t just about flashy new models, it reflects a wider trend in India’s smartphone market. Consumers are increasingly leaning toward premium and mid-premium devices. In fact, the $600-$800 price range saw an eye-popping 78.6% jump in sales over the past year, with the iPhone 16 leading the charge. The $400-$600 range also saw strong growth, up 74%, thanks to the continued popularity of the iPhone 13 and Samsung’s Galaxy A56.
Indian Smartphone Market share in Q1 2025 by IDC 📲
– Vivo, Oppo, Apple, Realme and Motorola sees a positive growth.
– Xiaomi is disappointing and steps down to 6th position. Similarly OnePlus also huge negative followed by Poco. I am surprised to see iQOO going negative also.… pic.twitter.com/wlJKctaFUg— Anir Chakraborty (@encoword) May 12, 2025
While Apple soared, Xiaomi had a rough ride. The once-dominant brand saw its shipments tumble by 42% year-on-year, dragging its market share down from 12.8% to just 7.8%. Its sub-brand, Poco, also struggled, with shipments falling by 31.1%. The drop was steep enough to push Xiaomi out of the top five smartphone brands in India. Stepping into the gap was Realme, which rose to fourth place, largely due to a string of affordable, well-received phone launches.
Elsewhere in the rankings, Vivo held onto the top spot with a 19.7% market share, while Samsung stayed close behind at 16.4%. Oppo followed in third place with 12%, and Realme’s climb brought it to 10.6%. With Xiaomi slipping to sixth, OnePlus and iQoo completed the top ten, in ninth and tenth place respectively.
The shake-up paints a clear picture: Indian smartphone buyers are evolving. More people are ready to spend on premium features and long-term value, and Apple seems to be capitalising on that shift. Local production, better retail presence, and smart pricing of older models have made iPhones more accessible than ever.
It’s a big moment for Apple in a traditionally cost-conscious market like India. Whether this momentum continues, or whether rivals manage to bounce back, will be one of the big stories to watch in the months ahead.
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