Yet the country’s overall smartphone market stayed largely flat at around 152–153 million devices. That means that across the full-year of 2025, Apple’s market share of shipments rose to a record 9%. This is up from 7% in 2024, Counterpoint Research data shows, making it the iPhone’s strongest year yet in the world’s second-largest smartphone market by volume.

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

Apple has repeatedly pointed to India as a standout market in recent quarters, with CEO Tim Cook saying the company set an “all-time revenue record in India” on its last earnings call in October. CFO Kevan Parekh also said iPhone’s active install base hit an all-time high in India and the company set a quarterly record for upgraders, highlighting Apple’s push to expand its user base beyond just new buyers, though the company did not disclose detailed figures for India on the call.

Beyond shipments, Apple has been widening its footprint in India by ramping up local manufacturing and broadening its retail reach. Last month, the company opened its fifth Apple Store in the country — its first in Noida — as part of a broader retail expansion that began in 2023.

Apple is also sharpening its services pitch in India. Earlier this month, it introduced Apple Creator Studio — a subscription bundle of creative apps such as Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro — priced at ?399 a month ($4.35) in India. That’s around 66% cheaper than the $12.99 a month it charges in the U.S., underscoring how the company is tailoring pricing to deepen its reach in the country.

That strong iPhone year came against a market that has largely stopped growing. India is set to log its fourth straight year at about the same shipment level of 152 million units, Counterpoint estimates, with the October–December quarter down 8–10% year-over-year despite the festive season.

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 told TechCrunch.

Even as overall shipments stagnated, India’s premium segment continued to expand. Smartphones priced above ?30,000 (around $327) grew 15% year-over-year in 2025 and accounted for a record 23% of total shipments — the highest share ever — according to Counterpoint.

That shift has helped brands with stronger premium portfolios, including Apple, gain ground even as the mass market slowed.

By volume, China’s Vivo led India’s smartphone market in 2025 with a 23% share of shipments, per Counterpoint, followed by Samsung at 15% and Xiaomi at 13%.

Apple remained outside India’s top three by shipments despite its record year, underlining how the market is still dominated by mass-market Android brands even as premium devices take a growing share.

Counterpoint expects India’s smartphone market to slip about 2% in 2026, warning that rising memory prices could squeeze demand in the sub-?15,000 (under-$170) segment and force phone makers to cut cashback offers, trim specifications or raise prices. Even so, average selling prices are forecast to rise 5% in 2026 after a 9% increase in 2025, suggesting the premiumization trend is set to continue.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.