Apple recorded the fastest growth in India’s smartphone market in Q1, with the iPhone 16 the most popular model and accounting for 4 per cent of overall shipments, data from IDC showed.
The iPhone maker’s shipments grew 23.1 per cent year-on-year, propelling it into fifth place with a 9.5 per cent share, up from 7.3 per cent a year earlier.
Three of the top five smartphone vendors gained market share after registering double-digit growth, while the overall market fell for a second consecutive quarter. Shipments in Q1 dropped 5.5 per cent year-on-year to 32 million, which the research outfit attributed to weak consumer demand and surplus inventory from the previous quarter.
Strong growth was reported in the premium segment ($600 to $800), rising 78.6 per cent to account for 4 per cent of total shipments. This was offset by a 21.9 per cent decline in the mass-market segment ($100 to $200).
The average selling price rose 4 per cent to $274, while 5G models accounted for 88 per cent of total shipments, up from 69 per cent a year earlier.
IDC forecasts low single-digit growth in shipments for the full year.
Vivo consolidated its top position, with shipments increasing 14.6 per cent and its share up by 3.4 percentage points to 19.7 per cent. Samsung held on to second place with a 16.4 per cent share, despite shipments remaining flat.
Oppo jumped from fourth a year ago to third with a 12 per cent share, up from 10.2 per cent, as shipments rose 11.9 per cent. Realme moved to fourth from fifth, with shipments up 2.2 per cent.
Xiaomi, suffering a 42 per cent drop in shipments, fell to sixth from third in Q1 2024.
