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Premium Smartphones Made Up Over 20% of India’s 2025 Shipments as Market Grew 1% YoY in Volume and 8% YoY in Value: Counterpoint Report

Highlights

India’s smartphone shipments grew just 1% YoY in 2025, but overall market value rose 8% as premium devices (₹30,000+) made up 22% of shipments.
Apple’s iPhone 16 was the most‑shipped model, giving Apple a record 28% value share.
Vivo led in volume (20% share), driven by a 185% surge in its X‑series, while Samsung retained second place and dominated foldables with 88% share.

(Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash)

India’s smartphone market remained largely stable in 2025, recording a marginal 1% year-on-year growth in total shipments, according to Counterpoint Research. Despite the flat volume performance, the market continued its clear shift toward higher-end devices, with the overall value of smartphones shipped rising by 8% during the year.

Premium smartphones priced at ₹30,000 and above accounted for 22% of total shipments in 2025, effectively meaning one in every five smartphones shipped in the country belonged to the premium segment. This trend worked in favour of brands focused on higher-priced models, most notably Apple.

Although Apple’s overall unit share remained relatively small, the iPhone 16 emerged as the most-shipped individual smartphone model of the year. The brand also captured 28% of the total market value, marking its highest-ever value share in India.

Vivo, excluding its sub-brand iQOO, led the Indian smartphone market in terms of shipment volume with a 20% share, up from 17% in 2024. While the Y and T series continued to contribute significantly to its numbers, the biggest highlight for Vivo in 2025 was the X-series, which registered a massive 185% year-on-year growth. Counterpoint specifically noted the Vivo X200 FE as one of the key drivers behind this surge.

Samsung retained its position as the second-largest smartphone brand in India. The Galaxy S series achieved its highest-ever share within Samsung’s overall shipments, while the Galaxy A, M, and F series continued to see strong demand across price segments. Samsung also dominated the foldable smartphone category, commanding an 88% volume share and recording a 28% year-on-year growth in foldable shipments.

The updated designs of the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 were cited as major factors behind this performance with Motorola ranking as the second-largest foldables brand.

In the broader market standings, Oppo (excluding OnePlus) secured third place with a 13% shipment share, slightly up from 12% last year. The brand’s growth was primarily driven by the A and K series, rather than its more premium Reno and Find X lineups.

On the chipset front, MediaTek-powered smartphones accounted for 47% of total shipments in India during 2025, while Qualcomm-based devices made up 29% of the market.

Looking ahead, Counterpoint forecasts a slight decline in India’s smartphone market in 2026 as manufacturers and consumers feel the impact of rising memory and component costs. The sub-₹15,000 segment is expected to be the most affected by these cost pressures.

FAQs

Q1. How did India’s smartphone market perform in 2025?

Answer. The market grew just 1% year‑on‑year in shipments, but overall value rose 8%, driven by a strong shift toward premium smartphones priced at ₹30,000+.

Q2. Which brands led the Indian smartphone market in 2025?

Answer. Vivo led in shipment volume with a 20% share, boosted by its X‑series. Samsung ranked second, dominating foldables with 88% share, while Oppo held third place with 13%.

Q3. What role did Apple play in India’s premium smartphone segment?

Answer. Apple’s iPhone 16 was the most‑shipped model, and the brand captured 28% of total market value, its highest ever in India, despite smaller unit share.