India’s smartphone market reached a five-year high in Q3 of 2025, with total shipments growing 4.3 percent year-over-year to 48 million units, according to IDC.
The quarter was marked by robust performances from both Vivo and Apple, reflecting shifting consumer priorities toward premium devices and dynamic market competition.
Vivo retained its leadership position for a seventh consecutive quarter by capturing 18.3 percent market share. The brand’s strong offline presence, combined with effective festive schemes and trade incentives, helped it maintain sustained growth despite mounting challenges in the mass-budget and entry-level segments.
Apple saw its highest-ever quarterly shipments in India, reaching five million units and solidifying the fourth position overall. The company experienced a 25.6 percent year-over-year growth, fuelled by record launches of the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, as well as continued demand for previous generation iPhones.
Oppo and Samsung came in second and third while Realme completed the top 5.
The biggest growth in Q3 was by Motorola which had 52.4 percent increase in shipments. Its Edge 60 Fusion was the highest-shipped model in the US$200-US$400 price band.
Market data show a clear trend toward higher-value devices, as average selling prices surged to a record US$294 this quarter — up 13.7 percent compared with last year.
While mass-market demand weakened, premium and super-premium categories delivered double-digit growth, underlining the transformation of India’s smartphone market dynamic.
“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 of Devices Research at 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,” she added.
Entelechy Asia 