Apple’s market share in India has surged in Q3 2024, growing by 58.5% year-over-year, while rival Samsung saw a significant decline of 19.7%. According to data from IDC, Apple’s share rose to 8.6%, up from 5.7% in the previous year. Apple attributed its growth to strong sales of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 13 models, positioning itself as the second-largest player in online sales.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s share fell to 12.3%, down from 16.2% during the same period last year. India’s smartphone market itself grew by 6% in Q3, with 46 million units shipped. Online shipments saw an 8% rise, now making up 51% of total sales.
The surge in sales was fueled by significant discounts, financing options, extended warranties, and cashback offers across both online and offline channels, according to IDC’s Upasana Joshi. New 5G smartphones also drove demand, and sales of flagship models from both Apple and Samsung benefitted from attractive e-commerce discounts.
Motorola showed the highest growth rate, recording a 149.5% increase, but still held a relatively small market share of 5.7%. Vivo, on the other hand, remained the market leader with a share of 15.8%, showing a growth of 20%. In contrast, OnePlus saw a steep decline of 39.3%, resulting in a reduced share of 3.6%.
Looking ahead, IDC predicts a cyclical dip in demand after the festive season, with 2024 ending with low single-digit growth. For 2025, analysts expect the market to focus on affordable devices and the growing importance of Gen AI features in smartphone marketing.
