Apple's iPhone Hits Record 14 Million Shipments in India for 2025

Apple shipped approximately 14 million iPhone units in India during 2025, achieving Apple's strongest performance in the world's second-largest smartphone market by volume to date.

The iPhone 16 was the most-shipped smartphone in India during that period, while the newly launched iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air had the strongest launch-quarter performance for any iPhone since 2021.

The shipments lifted Apple's market share to a record 9 percent, an increase from 7 percent the previous year, according to data from Counterpoint Research.

The overall smartphone market in India remained largely unchanged, with total shipments hovering around 152 million to 153 million units for the fourth straight year.

Premium devices priced above 30,000 rupees, or roughly $327, expanded by 15 percent year over year and represented a record 23 percent of all shipments.

"The gains were driven by the iPhone’s product portfolio, growing aspirational demand and wider availability across sales channels," said Tarun Pathak, director for devices and ecosystems at Counterpoint Research.

Vivo, a Chinese brand, led the Indian market by volume with a 23 percent share of shipments, followed by Samsung at 15 percent and Xiaomi at 13 percent.

Apple stayed outside the top three vendors despite its gains.

The surge is backed by a parallel expansion in local manufacturing and exports. Data indicates Apple, through its contract manufacturers in India, exported iPhones worth a cumulative $50 billion by December 2025 under the nation's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

In 2025 alone, iPhone exports from India crossed the ₹2 trillion ($23 billion) mark, an increase of about 85 percent from the previous year.

"Today, Apple is very proud to report a September quarter revenue record of $102.5 billion, including a September quarter revenue record for iPhone," said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in an October 2025 earnings statement.

Shipments in the October to December quarter dropped 8 percent to 10 percent from the prior year, even with the festive season underway.

Average selling prices across the market climbed 9 percent in 2025.

"Longer replacement cycles, fewer feature phone users upgrading to smartphones, and the growing popularity of refurbished devices are among the key reasons the market has struggled to grow," Pathak said.

Separate data from Omdia showed India's smartphone shipments declined 1 percent for the full year to 154.2 million units, with a 7 percent year-on-year fall to 34.5 million units in the fourth quarter.

Apple moved 3.9 million units in that final quarter, placing fifth among vendors as vivo shipped 7.9 million, Samsung 4.9 million, Oppo 4.6 million and Xiaomi 4.2 million.

Apple's quarterly performance highlighted the trend. In the festive third quarter of 2025, Apple recorded its highest-ever quarterly shipments in India, reaching 5 million units and securing the fourth market position for the first time.

Its market share for that quarter hit 10.4 percent.

Analysts attribute the annual growth to an expanded portfolio, wider availability across sales channels, and financing options like no-cost EMIs.

"This continued success stems from a multi-year strategy focused on affordability, primarily through steep price reductions on older-generation devices during festive e-tailer sales, coupled with appealing no-cost EMI plans and exchange offers," said Upasana Joshi, research manager at IDC India.

The premium smartphone segment, where Apple is dominant, grew 43.3 percent year-over-year in Q3 2025.

Average selling prices for smartphones in India reached a record $294 in the third quarter of 2025, rising 13.7 percent year-over-year