India’s smartphone market recorded a 4% year-on-year growth in 2024, driven by strong demand in the first half of the year, according to IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. A total of 151 million smartphones were shipped throughout the year, with a surge in 5G adoption and premium smartphone demand. Notably, Vivo overtook Samsung as India’s top smartphone brand, while Apple made history by entering the top five smartphone brands in Q4 2024.

@IDC

Vivo Becomes India’s Leading Smartphone Brand

For the first time, Vivo surpassed Samsung to become India’s top smartphone manufacturer. The company captured 16.64% of the market, while Samsung trailed behind at 13.2%. In 2023, Samsung had 17% market share, while Vivo held 15.2%, showing a clear shift in consumer preferences.

OPPO and Xiaomi secured the third spot, each holding 12% market share.

Realme followed closely, ranking fourth with an 11% share.

Apple Breaks Into the Top 5 in Q4 2024

Apple saw remarkable growth in India, with its market share rising from 6.4% in 2023 to 8.2% in 2024. For the first time, Apple entered India’s top five smartphone brands in Q4 2024, capturing 10% market share.

India became Apple’s fourth-largest market globally, trailing only the US, China, and Japan.

The company shipped 12 million iPhones in 2024, marking a record performance.

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 13 were the most shipped iPhone models, contributing 6% of Apple’s overall Q4 2024 shipments.

Key Market Trends in 2024

5G Smartphone Growth:

5G smartphone shipments rose to 79%, up from 55% in 2023.

120 million 5G smartphones were shipped in India in 2024.

Top-Selling Smartphones in 2024:

Xiaomi Redmi 13C, Apple iPhone 15, Vivo Y28, Apple iPhone 13, and Vivo T3X were the most shipped models.

Sales Channel Performance:

Online and offline smartphone sales grew 4% YoY.

Samsung dominated online sales, while Apple climbed to the fourth spot, with the iPhone 15 as its best-selling model online.

Vivo led offline sales across India.

Premium Smartphone Market Expands:

The $200-$400 segment grew 35.3%.

The $600-$800 premium segment saw 34.9% growth.

Feature Phone Market Decline

Despite 54 million feature phones being shipped in 2024, the segment saw an 11% YoY decline.

Transsion led the feature phone market, followed by Nokia and Lava.

@IDC

Conclusion

India’s smartphone market continued its upward trajectory in 2024, fueled by rising 5G adoption and a growing preference for premium devices. While Vivo took the crown as India’s top smartphone brand, Apple’s entry into the top five marks a major milestone in the country’s mobile landscape. With an increasingly competitive market, brands will need to innovate and expand their offerings to maintain their momentum in 2025.