Apple shipments hit record 4.9 million in India, taking market share to 10 per cent in Q3 of 2025, boosted by the made-in-India iPhone 17 that accounted for 1 in 5 iPhones shipped, Sanyam Chaurasia, Principal Analyst, Omdia, told businessline.
Apple posted its highest-ever shipments in India in the third quarter with smaller cities driving volumes through aspirational demand, aggressive festive offers and wider availability.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 base models were the top volume drivers.
Locally manufactured iPhone 17 base model saw healthy demand across metros and smaller towns in September when the series was launched. This uptake was particularly noticeable among upgraders from the iPhone 12–14 install base, said Chaurasia, adding he expected Apple to aim for Pro-model upgrades and deepen its ecosystem to drive long-term value.
“The sale of iPhone 17 series overtook older models. The iPhone 17 series launched in September but still accounted for around 20 per cent of Apple’s shipments in Q3 2025,” said Chaurasia.
As Apple gained market share, Samsung and Xiaomi shares dipped by 2-4 per cent. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple’s growth in India increased by 60 per cent year-over-year in Q2 2025, securing the seventh position in overall smartphone shipments. IDC even expects Apple to take a seat among the top 5 brands in India this year, reaching 14.5-15 million shipments to India.
Apple extends to refurbished segment
Since September, iPhone 13, iPhone 12, and iPhone 11 accounted for over 25 per cent of all refurbished phone sales by Cashify. These phones were sold at the following prices: iPhone 11 is within ₹10,000-20,000 range. iPhone 12 is within ₹20,000-₹25,000 and iPhone 13 is within ₹25,000-₹35,000 range.
The iPhone 11 continues to dominate because it delivers flagship performance and camera quality at an entry-premium price. iPhone 12 and 13 series have gained momentum as 5G adoption rises and battery longevity improves.
“The iPhone 17 launch has actually expanded supply and stimulated demand, rather than cannibalising it. We’ve seen a jump in iPhone trade-ins on Cashify as well as through our partner stores since pre-bookings for the 17 series began in mid-September. More recent models like iPhones 13 and 14 are entering our refurbishment pipeline, which value-conscious upgraders are waiting for,” said Nakul Kumar, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Cashify.
Omdia too noted that various channels offered attractive deals on iPhone 15 and 16 models from the Rakshabandhan festive sales till the launch of the 17 series. Offers like bank cashbacks and loyalty points via banks and retailers, festive discounts, and trade-in bonuses, especially across large-format retail and online marketplaces. Apple also offered zero-down-payment EMIs (long tenure-based), bundled AppleCare and accessories. These schemes helped drive conversion, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where Apple is expanding its reach, signalling Apple’s growing footprint in India.
“Apple ramped up local manufacturing to cater to both Indian and global markets, with the iPhone 17 made in India from day one. The launch deepened Apple’s retail footprint — backed by two flagship stores in metros and an expanded Apple Preferred Partner network in non-metro markets,” said Chaurasia.
Published on October 22, 2025
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