India is no longer just hunting for budget smartphones; it’s splurging. And Apple is clearly enjoying the shopping spree. As more buyers move towards high-end phones, the iPhone maker has quietly climbed to its biggest-ever position in India. Apple hits an all-time high in India Apple has reached a record 28% value share in India’s smartphone market, its highest so far, according to Counterpoint Research. In simple terms, even if Apple doesn’t sell the most phones by number, it now earns the biggest slice of the market’s money. This jump comes as Indian consumers increasingly choose premium smartphones over entry-level models, a trend known as premiumisation. iPhone 16 plays a starring role The biggest driver behind Apple’s strong showing is the iPhone 16 series. Counterpoint noted that attractive financing options, easy EMIs, and trade-in offers made it easier for buyers to upgrade. The report said: Apple led the market in 2025 in value terms with a 28 per cent share, as festival-led promotions and deeper channel expansion supported revenue growth. The iPhone 16 also became the most shipped smartphone model in India in 2025, marking the highest-ever annual shipment share for an iPhone in the country. Market grows slowly, but money grows faster India’s smartphone market isn’t growing rapidly in terms of units sold. In 2025, overall volumes rose by just 1% year-on-year. However, the market value jumped 8%, showing that people are spending more per phone. A key reason is financing. Nearly 40% of smartphones sold in physical retail stores were bought on EMI.
In the premium segment, phones priced above ₹30,000, almost two out of three purchases were financed. Premium phones steal the spotlight Premium smartphones are now the fastest-growing category in India. Counterpoint says this segment grew 11% year-on-year in volume and made up 22% of total shipments, the highest share ever. Tarun Pathak, Director at Counterpoint Research: The premium segment emerged as the fastest-growing in 2025 and drove the market’s highest-ever annual value growth. He added that early signs from 2026 suggest a more divided market — with premium phones doing well, while cheaper models face pressure. Samsung, Motorola and CMF stay in the race While Apple ruled in value, Samsung continued to dominate the foldable phone space, holding an 88% volume share in 2025. Its growth came from a mix of affordable models and steady demand for its premium Galaxy S series. Meanwhile, Motorola emerged as the fastest-growing smartphone brand, posting 54% year-on-year growth, while CMF became the fastest-growing sub-brand with an 83% jump in shipments. What to expect in 2026 Looking ahead, India’s smartphone market may see a small decline in volume in 2026. Rising component and memory costs could make phones more expensive, especially in the under ₹15,000 segment. At the same time, brands are expected to push premium models harder. This could raise average smartphone prices by 5–7% year-on-year, keeping the focus firmly on high-end devices.
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