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Affordable 5G Phone Shipments Skyrocket 1,900% in India's 2025 Market

India's smartphone market underwent a structural shift in 2025, defined by a staggering over 1,900% surge in shipments of affordable 5G devices. 5G technology has become the market default, accounting for 88% of all smartphone shipments. While overall volumes softened slightly, the premium segment remained resilient, with Apple posting 25% growth. The market is evolving as consumers become more selective, extending device lifecycles and upgrading only for compelling value.

Key Points: 5G Smartphone Shipments Soar 1,900% in India

  • 1900% surge in affordable 5G shipments
  • 5G phones now 88% of market
  • Apple grew 25%, hits 9% share
  • MediaTek leads chipset market with 45%
2 min read

Affordable 5G smartphone shipments surge over 1,900 pc in India in 2025

India's 2025 smartphone market sees explosive 1,900% growth in affordable 5G shipments, with 5G now the default and premium demand holding strong.

"2025 was a year of recalibration rather than contraction for India's smartphone market. - Menka Kumari, CMR"

New Delhi, Feb 9

The affordable 5G smartphone shipments surged over 1,900 per cent in India in 2025, steered by aggressive pricing, enhanced availability of entry-level 5G chipsets and expanding nationwide 5G network coverage, a report showed on Monday.

India's smartphone market entered a phase of structural transition in 2025, marked by explosive growth in affordable 5G devices and sustained premium demand, and the most significant shift came from the Rs 6,000-Rs 8,000 price segment, according to the report by CyberMedia Research (CMR).

5G smartphones accounted for 88 per cent of total shipments, up 12 per cent YoY, underscoring how 5G has moved decisively from a premium feature to a market default.

Apple delivered 25 per cent (on-year) growth in India, reaching 9 per cent market share. The base iPhone 16 accounts for 47 per cent of 16-series volumes, underscoring strong preference for the value-led base model over Pro/Plus variants.

"2025 was a year of recalibration rather than contraction for India's smartphone market. While overall volumes softened marginally, the fundamentals remained strong. The rapid scaling of affordable 5G, resilient premium demand, and the rise of challenger brands point to a market that is evolving structurally, not weakening," said Menka Kumari, Senior Analyst-Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR.

In 2025, smartphones with 6.7-inch and larger displays accounted for nearly 80 per cent of shipments, firmly establishing large screens as the standard consumer preference.

The feature phone market continued to decline, with 2G feature phones down 12 per cent YoY and 4G feature phones down 48 per cent.

MediaTek led India's smartphone chipset market with 45 per cent market share. Qualcomm led the premium smartphone segment with a 34 per cent share, said the report.

"In 2026, elevated component and memory costs are expected to keep pricing under pressure, leading to more measured purchasing behaviour through the year," said Pankaj Jadli, Analyst-Industry Intelligence Group at CMR.

Consumers have not stepped away from the smartphone market; instead, they are becoming increasingly selective, extending device lifecycles and upgrading only when the value proposition is compelling, he mentioned.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Great to see affordable options, but I hope the focus isn't just on specs. Battery life and software updates for these budget phones are crucial. We don't want e-waste increasing because phones become unusable in 2 years.
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Rohit P
MediaTek leading with 45% share shows how Indian consumers are value-conscious. Their chips offer great performance for the price. Also, interesting that most people prefer the base iPhone model. Pro models are just too expensive here!
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Michael C
The 1900% growth figure is staggering. It shows how quickly India can adopt new technology when it's priced right. The real test will be the quality of the 5G network coverage in rural areas to support all these new devices.
S
Shreya B
My parents finally upgraded from their 4G feature phone to a basic 5G smartphone because of these prices. The transition the article mentions is real in our home! Big screens are definitely the norm now, easier for their eyes too.
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Pankaj Jadli
(Respectful criticism of the article's framing) As the analyst quoted, I'd caution against just celebrating the shipment surge. The report highlights consumers are becoming more selective and holding phones longer due to cost pressures. Growth is impressive, but the market dynamics are challenging.

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