Apple iPhone just had its best year in India as the smartphone market stays broadly flat

Apple's iPhone has experienced a remarkable surge in popularity in India, with approximately 14 million units shipped in 2025, according to exclusive market data presented to TechCrunch. In contrast, the overall smartphone market in the country remained stagnant, hovering around 152 to 153 million devices. This scenario has allowed Apple's market share to climb to a historic high of 9% in 2025, up from 7% in the previous year, as reported by Counterpoint Research. This marks the iPhone's most successful year to date in the world’s second-largest smartphone market by volume. The growth can be attributed to several factors, including an appealing product lineup, increasing consumer aspirations, and enhanced availability across various sales channels. Tarun Pathak, a director at Counterpoint Research, noted that Apple has consistently highlighted India as a key market, with CEO Tim Cook declaring that the company achieved an "all-time revenue record in India" during the last earnings call in October. Additionally, CFO Kevan Parekh mentioned that the number of active iPhone users in India reached an all-time high, alongside a record number of upgraders, emphasizing Apple’s strategy to broaden its user base beyond just new customers. In addition to impressive shipment figures, Apple has been expanding its presence in India through increased local manufacturing and an expanded retail network. Last month marked the opening of its fifth Apple Store in the country, located in Noida, as part of a larger retail growth initiative that began in 2023. Apple is also enhancing its services offering, recently launching the Apple Creator Studio—a subscription package for creative applications like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro—priced at ₹399 a month ($4.35) in India. This pricing strategy is approximately 66% lower than the $12.99 monthly fee in the U.S., illustrating Apple's efforts to adapt its offerings to better resonate with Indian consumers. Despite Apple's achievements, the broader smartphone market in India is projected to log its fourth consecutive year of stagnation, with shipments remaining at around 152 million units. Counterpoint estimates a decline of 8-10% year-over-year in the October-December quarter, despite the festive shopping season. Factors such as extended replacement cycles, a decrease in feature phone users transitioning to smartphones, and the rising popularity of refurbished devices have contributed to this stagnation. Nonetheless, the premium smartphone segment has seen growth, with devices priced above ₹30,000 (approximately $327) experiencing a 15% year-over-year increase in 2025. This segment accounted for a record 23% of total shipments, benefiting brands like Apple that have strong premium offerings, even as the mass market slows down. In terms of market share, Vivo led India's smartphone sector in 2025 with 23%, followed by Samsung at 15% and Xiaomi at 13%, leaving Apple outside the top three despite its record performance. Counterpoint anticipates a slight decline of about 2% in India's smartphone market in 2026, citing rising memory costs that could potentially impact demand in the sub-₹15,000 (under $170) category. However, average selling prices are expected to rise by 5% in 2026, following a 9% increase in 2025, indicating that the trend towards premiumization is likely to continue. Apple has yet to respond to requests for comment.