India smartphone shipments rise 3% YoY in Q3 2025: Report
India shipped 48.4 million smartphones in Q3 2025, a 3% rise from last year.
Early festive shopping, new launches, and tempting retail offers drove the numbers up.
Still, many city buyers are holding off on upgrades due to economic worries, so sales haven't quite matched shipments—raising a few eyebrows about possible unsold stock piling up.
Apple joins top 5 brands for the 1st time
Apple hit a milestone with its highest-ever India shipments—4.9 million phones—grabbing a 10% market share and joining the top five brands for the first time.
This boost came from smaller cities and discounts on older iPhones.
Vivo led the pack overall with a 20% share, thanks to a wide product range and strong retail programs.
Samsung held onto second place but felt the heat in entry-level phones.
Brands leaned into retailer rewards like cash bonuses
Brands leaned into retailer rewards like cash bonuses and sales contests, plus made buying easier for everyone with zero-down-payment EMIs and micro-instalments.
These moves helped keep shipments flowing, even as real demand stayed a bit lukewarm before the main festival rush.