In a remarkable shift for India's price-sensitive smartphone market, Apple's premium iPhone 16 has emerged as the country's top-selling device in 2025, outselling popular budget models. This achievement underscores a significant consumer move towards premiumization, fueled by easy financing and aspirational buying.
Record Sales Defy Premium Price Barrier
According to data from Gurugram-based Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 16 series sold a staggering 6.5 million units in the first eleven months of 2025. This performance allowed it to eclipse the second-placed model, the Vivo Y29 5G, which shipped 4.7 million units in the same period. The feat is striking given the vast price difference: Apple's iPhone 15 starts at ₹47,000, while Vivo's best-selling handset retails for around ₹14,000.
Apple's success wasn't limited to its latest model. The previous generation, the iPhone 15, also ranked among the top five best-selling devices, with 3.3 million units shipped by November. Combined, the top two iPhones accounted for approximately 8% of the 125-130 million devices sold in India until that month.
Drivers of Apple's India Surge
Analysts point to a confluence of factors behind Apple's rising dominance in a market traditionally dominated by budget phones. "There is a definite premiumization drive in India, and the iPhone is the poster boy for this dynamic shift," said Tarun Pathak, Research Director for Consumer Devices at Counterpoint. He highlighted the critical role of widespread financing schemes and cashback offers, which have made high-end devices accessible to a broader audience.
Navkendar Singh, Associate Vice-President of Devices Research at IDC Asia-Pacific, noted Apple's focused strategy. "Apple largely sells four models in India, as opposed to portfolios of 30-plus models by other brands. This naturally gives its devices higher room for sales," he explained. This focus, coupled with aggressive retail expansion—including three new stores opened in Bengaluru, Pune, and Noida in late 2025—has solidified Apple's presence.
Market Context and Future Outlook
Apple's growth comes even as the broader Indian smartphone market is expected to see stagnant or low single-digit growth in 2025 for the fourth consecutive year. The company's gains have notably come at the expense of rival Samsung, which did not have a single device in the country's top ten bestsellers list this year.
The trend towards higher-value purchases is clear. The average selling price of a smartphone in India rose to $294 (approx. ₹26,400) in 2025, up from $257 (approx. ₹21,800) the previous year. During the festive season, Apple broke into India's top four brands by market share, capturing 10.4% of the market.
Looking ahead, analysts project sustained momentum. Apple is poised for double-digit year-on-year growth in India in 2026, with record sales potentially exceeding 15 million iPhones for the year. Prabhu Ram, Vice-President of Industry Research at CyberMedia Research, stated, "Apple remains in the very early innings of its India journey and retains significant headroom for both value and volume growth." This optimism is supported by expanding local manufacturing and a deepening retail network, positioning Apple strongly for the coming years.
