Key Points

The growth was primarily fuelled by fresh launches concentrated in the second quarter, following a cautious Q1 where vendors held back due to elevated inventory levels, according to Canalys (now part of Omdia).

"Heightened competition beyond the top five is reshaping India’s smartphone landscape, as premium incumbents and design-led challengers refine their playbooks,” said Sanyam Chaurasia, Principal Analyst.

Apple ranked sixth in Q2 2025, with the iPhone 16 family accounting for over 55 per cent of its shipments, while the iPhone 15 and 13 continued to drive demand across price tiers.

According to the report, Vivo (excluding iQOO) led the market with 8.1 million units shipped and a 21 per cent market share. Samsung followed in second place with 6.2 million units and a 16 per cent market share.

OPPO (excluding OnePlus) climbed to third with 5 million units, edging past Xiaomi, which also shipped 5 million. realme completed the top five with 3.6 million units.

“With limited organic demand, India’s smartphone market in H2 2025 will hinge more on channel execution than product launches,” stated Chaurasia.

Brands are actively locking inventory with distributors and retailers through channel incentive programs ahead of the upcoming festive season in India. These include high-value rewards – ranging from foreign trips to vehicle rewards – tied to performance during Monsoon sales, Durga Puja and Diwali cycles, the report said.

Retail infrastructure upgrades are gaining pace, with improved booth setups, structured shelf placements and stricter quarterly targets for promoter engagement and in-store execution.

At the same time, brands are doubling down on affordability by expanding long-tenure financing options, especially for mid- to high-end models.

—IANS

- IANS