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Indian smartphone market grows 7 per cent, iPhone 16 drives Apple's numbers

Indian smartphone market grows 7 per cent, iPhone 16 drives Apple's numbers

India Today5 days ago
India's smartphone market saw a healthy recovery in the second quarter of 2025, with total shipments reaching 39 million units, which is a 7 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase. The rebound follows a quiet first quarter and was largely driven by a slew of new launches and improved channel activity. According to a report by Canalys (now part of Omdia), while Chinese brands continued to dominate the top five spots, Apple stood out with over half its shipments driven by the iPhone 16 series, despite finishing sixth overall.advertisementVivo led the market during the quarter, shipping 8.1 million units and securing a 21 per cent share. The company's success was supported by strong offline campaigns and deeper distribution, especially in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. 'Vivo's new launches were widely embraced by channels, driven by strong partnerships,' said Sanyam Chaurasia, Principal Analyst at Canalys. The company's V50 series performed well in larger cities, while the Y-series remained a popular pick in smaller towns.Samsung followed in second place with 6.2 million units shipped and a market share of 16 per cent. Oppo and Xiaomi tied at 13 per cent market share each, with 5 million units sold. However, compared to the previous quarter, Oppo's shipments have grown by 24 per cent, while Xiaomi's have plummeted by 25 per cent. Finally, realme came in at the fifth spot, with 3.6 million smartphones shipped and a market share of 9 per cent.
Apple's sixth-place finish may not seem impressive at first glance, but there was clear interest in its current-generation models. The iPhone 16 series made up more than 55 per cent of Apple's total shipments in the quarter. However, the iPhone 16e — the most affordable version in the lineup — did not perform as well. 'The iPhone 16e lost momentum post-launch, as consumers questioned the value of its single-camera design and largely unrealised Apple Intelligence features,' Chaurasia added.Other brands have also contributed to the mid-range and premium smartphone space in India. Motorola, which ranked seventh, focused on expanding its reach in smaller cities. Infinix gained popularity among young buyers, especially with its design-forward marketing and gaming campaigns. Nothing continued its growth story, with a 229 per cent YoY jump driven by models like the Phone 3a Pro and CMF Phone 2 Pro.Going forward, the Indian smartphone market will likely depend more on channel activity than new product launches in the second half of 2025. Chaurasia noted that 'brands are actively locking inventory with distributors and retailers through channel incentive programs ahead of the upcoming festive season.' Canalys expects these efforts to boost short-term sales, but projects a modest overall decline for the full year due to structural demand challenges.- Ends
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