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Premium Push Lifts India Smartphone Market to Five-Year High as Apple Sets Quarterly Record

IDC now expects a Q4 decline that would pull 2025 shipments below 150 million.

Overview

  • India shipped 48 million smartphones in Q3 2025, up 4.3% year over year, with average selling prices rising to a record $294.
  • Apple recorded 5 million shipments for a 10.4% share and 25.6% growth, with iPhone 16 the most-shipped model and the iPhone 17 series plus iPhone Air making up 16% of its units.
  • Vendor rankings placed Vivo first at 18.3%, OPPO second at 13.9%, Samsung third at 12.6%, and Apple fourth.
  • Growth clustered in higher tiers as mid-premium rose 10.7% year over year, premium 43.3%, and super-premium 53.9%, while mass-budget volumes fell.
  • IDC cited festive promotions and financing for the Q3 surge but warned of inventory build-ups, rising memory costs and currency pressure, and noted Samsung lost the super-premium lead to Apple while leading mid-premium.