The Indian smartphone market demonstrated robust growth in the second quarter of 2025, with an 8% year-over-year (YoY) increase in volume and an impressive 18% YoY surge in value, according to Counterpoint Research. This signifies a strong recovery following a more subdued first quarter. The market rebound was fueled by a 33% YoY rise in new product launches, coupled with aggressive marketing strategies and strong performance during summer sales events. Brands amplified their efforts by offering substantial discounts, convenient EMI options, and attractive bundled deals, particularly targeting the mid-range and premium segments.
Vivo Leads in Volume
Vivo emerged as the leader in terms of shipment volume, capturing a 20% market share in Q2 2025. This represents a notable increase from the 17% share it held in the same period last year. This growth was largely propelled by strong demand for its Y and T series smartphones within the INR 10,000-INR 15,000 segment. The T series, in particular, gained significant traction in offline channels, underscoring Vivo's strengthened presence across various retail tiers. According to Canalys, Vivo's market share reached 21% with 8.1 million units shipped. This represented a 31% annual growth, surpassing main competitors such as Samsung. Vivo's success was attributed to strong partnerships and the positive reception of its new launches. The V50 series gained traction in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities through large-format retail and wedding-led campaigns, while the Y-series maintained momentum in smaller cities and semi-urban markets through deep distribution and promoter push.
Samsung and Apple Dominate Value
While Vivo led in volume, Samsung and Apple were neck-and-neck in capturing market value, both holding a 23% share. Apple's growth in India's smartphone market is underscored by a 6% jump from Q2 2024. This surge highlights Apple's increasing presence in the premium segment, driven by robust sales of the iPhone 16 series, enticing trade-in programs, and appealing EMI offers. The iPhone 16 emerged as the most-shipped device in Q2 2025, driven by ongoing promotions, extended EMI options, and improved retail execution, enabling Apple to achieve its highest-ever Q2 shipments in India. Samsung's performance was supported by aggressive summer promotions on its A and S series, coupled with increased interest in previous-generation flagship upgrades, which sustained momentum in the mid to premium segments.
Other Key Players
OPPO (excluding OnePlus) secured the third position in the market, driven by the strong performance of its refreshed A5 and K series models. Realme and Xiaomi held 10% and 8% of the volume share, respectively. Notably, Nothing was the fastest-growing brand for the sixth consecutive quarter, with a 146% YoY growth, fueled by the newly launched CMF Phone 2 Pro and its aggressive offline expansion. Motorola also experienced significant growth, with shipments increasing by 86% YoY, driven by strong demand for its G and Edge series, supported by expanded distribution and deeper retail penetration in smaller cities.
Market Dynamics and Trends
The ultra-premium segment (above INR 45,000) experienced the fastest growth, with a 37% YoY increase, driven by Apple and Samsung. This growth contributed to the Indian smartphone market achieving its best-ever Q2 in value terms and the highest-ever average selling price (ASP). The increasing affordability initiatives, such as trade-in programs, no-cost EMIs, and limited-period summer discounts, have made flagship devices more accessible to aspirational buyers. Furthermore, an improved macroeconomic environment, characterized by lower retail inflation, central bank repo rate cuts, and tax relief measures, boosted consumer confidence and spending, creating a favorable environment for discretionary purchases.
In terms of the competitive landscape, MediaTek led India's smartphone chipset market with a 47% share, followed by Qualcomm with a 31% share. Qualcomm's smartphone shipments grew 28% YoY during the quarter.
