India's smartphone market to grow amid strong economy, global interest

In the first quarter of 2025, shipments of smartphones in India fell 7% year over year, according to the most recent data from Counterpoint Research. With a clear trend towards premium devices driving the average selling price (ASP) to an all-time high for the first quarter, the market's value trajectory remained positive despite the volume decline.

A notable shift toward more expensive smartphones countered the decline in shipments. Customers' increasing demand for feature-rich smartphones is reflected in the premium sector, which currently makes up a sizable share of the market value (devices priced over ₹30,000). Attractive financing alternatives, trade-in schemes, and package deals that lower the cost of high-end devices have supported this trend.

“Key brands, dealing with high inventory levels, prioritised clearing excess stock to stabilize operations and set a stronger foundation for the remainder of the year. Despite this inventory adjustment, consumer demand for ultra-premium products remained strong,” said Prachir Singh, senior research analyst, Counterpoint Research.

With a 9% increase over the same period last year and its third consecutive quarter at the top, Vivo further solidified its position as the market leader in India's smartphone industry in the first quarter of 2025. Its offers under ₹15,000, especially the Y29 5G and T4x models, saw significant momentum, which contributed significantly to this result.

Samsung rose to the second position this quarter thanks to a number of launches in various price ranges that provided momentum. Driven by the S25 Ultra series, the S series did well and achieved its highest-ever share in Samsung's premium range.