I’ve been tracking the Indian smartphone market for a while, and the latest numbers from 2025 just confirmed something massive. We are officially witnessing a “premium takeover.
According to Counterpoint Research, Apple just smashed its own records, capturing a staggering 28% value share of the Indian market. To put that in perspective: even though other brands might sell more individual units, Apple is walking away with nearly a third of all the money spent on phones in the country.
The Big Winner: iPhone 16
If you felt like you saw the iPhone 16 everywhere last year, you weren’t imagining it.
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The Stat: It was the top-shipped model in India for 2025.
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Premium Surge: More than one in every five phones sold in India is now considered “premium” (priced above ₹30,000).
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Why it matters: Indian consumers are moving away from “good enough” budget phones and are now willing to pay for longevity, better cameras, and brand status.
The Runner Up: Samsung’s Dual Strategy
Samsung didn’t just sit back; they held a strong second place with a 22% value share.
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Mass Appeal: Their A, M, and F series kept the volume high across all price points.
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The High End: Interestingly, the Galaxy S series hit its highest-ever share within Samsung’s own lineup.
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Why it matters: Even the “Android faithful” are upscaling. Samsung is successfully convincing long-time users to ditch the mid-range and go for the flagship “S” experience.
The 2026 Outlook: A Pricey Road Ahead
While 2025 was a year of “growth in value,” 2026 might be a bit of a reality check for our wallets.
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The Bad News: Component costs (especially memory) are skyrocketing. Experts expect a single-digit drop in the number of phones sold this year.
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The Good News (for brands): Average selling prices are expected to jump by 5-7%.
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The Big Highlight: The budget segment (under ₹15,000) is going to feel the most pressure. If you’re looking for a cheap upgrade, you might want to move fast before those component costs hit the price tags.
The Takeaway
The Indian market is becoming “polarized.” We’re seeing a future where people either buy a high-end flagship or hold onto their old phones longer because the budget options are getting more expensive. The days of “cheap but great” hardware might be getting harder to find.
I’ll be watching the Q1 2026 launches closely to see which brands eat the cost and which ones pass it on to you. Would you like me to keep an eye out for any specific “flagship killer” deals that might buck this price-hike trend?
