NEW DELHI: Tech giant Apple has recorded its highest-ever value share of 28 per cent in the Indian smartphone market, driven by a surging “premiumization” trend where consumers are increasingly opting for high-end devices, according to a report by Counterpoint Research.
The report highlighted a significant shift in the world’s second-largest smartphone market, noting that while volume growth remains steady, the total market value is expanding at a much faster clip as Indian buyers trade up to more expensive models.
As per Counterpoint’s latest insights, Apple had a 23 per cent value share in India in 2024. The success of the iPhone 16 series, coupled with aggressive financing schemes and trade-in offers, has pushed the Cupertino-based company to its highest-ever value share in the country.
“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. Apple’s iPhone 16 ranked as the top-shipped model in India in 2025. This also marked the highest-ever annual shipment share for an iPhone in India,” the report noted.
India’s smartphone market grew 1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in volume and 8 per cent YoY in value in 2025.
In mainline retail, financing accounted for 40 per cent of total smartphone volume sales in 2025. In the premium segment, priced above Rs 30,000, nearly two-thirds of purchases were financed, reflecting the growing role of EMI options in enabling consumers to upgrade to higher-end devices.
The report defines premiumization as the increasing consumer preference, with the segment growing faster than the entry-level and budget segments, which were previously the primary drivers of the Indian market.