India’s Smartphone Market Hits Five-Year High in Festive Q3 2025, Up 4% YoY on Premium Demand

• 18 Nov 2025
• TM Team
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India’s smartphone market reached a five-year high in the festive third quarter of 2025 (3Q25), growing 4.3% year-over-year (YoY) to 48 million units, according to the International Data Corporation ’s (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker . The growth was driven by strong demand for premium smartphones, supported by both new launches and previous-generation models. However, momentum was offset by weaker demand for entry-level Android smartphones and rising average selling prices (ASPs), highlighting the market’s continued shift toward higher-value segments.

Apple recorded its highest-ever quarterly shipments in India in the third quarter of 2025 (3Q25), reaching 5 million units and securing the fourth position in the market for the first time. The brand achieved a strong 25.6% YoY growth, driven by sustained demand across both new and existing models. The iPhone 16 remained the most-shipped smartphone in India during the quarter, contributing 5% of total market shipments, while the newly launched iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air saw a record-breaking debut, accounting for 16% of Apple’s Q3 shipments—the strongest launch-quarter performance for any iPhone since 2021.

Growth during India’s festive quarter was driven by a combination of market stimulators, including attractive pricing and deep discounting, flexible payment options, trade-in and upgrade programs, and promotional offers such as cashbacks and bank deals across both online and offline channels. “Notably, the eTailers relied heavily on discount-led sales of previous-generation flagship models from Apple and Samsung, which significantly boosted overall volumes,” said Aditya Rampal, senior research analyst, Devices Research, IDC Asia/Pacific.

Key Highlights for 3Q25:

Smartphone average selling prices (ASPs) surged to a record US$294 in 3Q25, growing 13.7% year-over-year (YoY), driven by strong demand for premium and higher-spec models.

• Entry-Level (Sub–US$100): The entry-level segment witnessed strong growth of 35.3% YoY, expanding its share to 16%, up from 13% a year ago. Xiaomi, realme, and vivo led the category, together accounting for over 50% of shipments.

• Mass-Budget (US$100–US$200): Shipments in the mass-budget segment declined 8.8% YoY, with market share dropping from 45% to 40%. vivo, OPPO, and realme continued to dominate this range, with the OPPO A5 and vivo T4X emerging as top-selling models.

• Entry-Premium (US$200–US$400): The entry-premium segment saw a 4.9% YoY decline in shipments, as its share decreased from 29% to 26%. vivo, OPPO, and Samsung led the category, followed closely by Motorola, whose Edge 60 Fusion was the highest-shipped model in this price band.

• Mid-Premium (US$400–US$600): The mid-premium segment grew 10.7% YoY, with share rising from 3% to 4% in 3Q25. Samsung climbed to the top position, followed by OPPO and OnePlus. The Galaxy S24 contributed nearly one-quarter of total shipments in this range, driven by steep discounting on eTailer platforms.

• Premium (US$600–US$800): The premium segment recorded robust growth of 43.3% YoY, as its share increased from 4% to 6%. Apple’s iPhone 16, iPhone 15, and iPhone 17 collectively made up over 70% of shipments in this category.

• Super-Premium (US$800 and above): The super-premium segment posted the highest growth of 52.9% YoY, with share rising from 6% to 8%. Apple regained leadership from Samsung, with 66% and 31% share, respectively. Key models driving the segment included the iPhone 16, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold7, iPhone 16 Pro, and Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Qualcomm-based smartphone shipments grew 17.9% YoY, capturing a 29.2% market share in 3Q25. The growth was driven by shipments of Xiaomi/POCO/Nothing devices. In contrast, MediaTek’s share declined to 46.0%, down from 53.1% a year ago, following a 9.7% YoY drop in shipments.

The offline channel continued its growth momentum in 3Q25, with shipments rising 21.8% YoY and its market share expanding to 56.4%, up from 48.3% a year ago. Conversely, the online channel’s share declined to 43.6%, from 51.7% in 3Q24, with shipments falling 12.0% YoY. Sustained offline growth over recent quarters was driven by festive season schemes and discounts, attractive trade partner margins for achieving sales targets, and strategic price adjustments by brands. While major eTailers also offered similar promotions, the deepest discounts were concentrated in the premium device segment, which in turn softened demand for entry-level and lower mid-tier Android smartphones.

Continuing its strong performance, vivo retained the top position for the seventh consecutive quarter, supported by a comprehensive product strategy spanning multiple price segments and a balanced presence across online and offline channels. OPPO moved up to the second position, overtaking Samsung, driven by aggressive offline channel initiatives and trade schemes. Among the top brands, Motorola recorded the highest YoY growth at 52.4%, followed by Apple, which grew 25.6% YoY, reflecting the sustained demand for its premium lineup.

“Aggressive festive promotions and flexible financing options drove strong shipment volumes in Q3 2025. However, consumer demand remained concentrated in the premium segment, leaving the mass market under pressure and resulting in a significant inventory build-up heading into Q4 2025,” said Upasana Joshi, senior research manager, Devices Research, IDC Asia Pacific. “This surplus has been further exacerbated by rising component costs—particularly in memory—and currency fluctuations, prompting brands to raise prices post-Diwali. As a result, IDC forecasts a year-over-year decline in shipments for Q4 2025, leading to an overall annual contraction, with total smartphone shipments expected to fall below 150 million units for the year.”