India's smartphone market recorded its weakest third-quarter performance since 2016, as shipments fell 26% year over year to 35.8 million units between July and September. According to Omdia, higher handset prices and cautious consumer spending weighed heavily on demand, even as the festive season began.
Samsung returned to the top position for the first time since Q1 2024, shipping 6.7 million smartphones and capturing roughly 19% market share. The company's volume was driven by the Galaxy A07, Galaxy A17 and Galaxy A27, while the Galaxy S26 lineup, latest foldables and Galaxy S26 FE added further support.
vivo slipped to second place with 6.4 million units, marking a steep 34% annual decline and the largest drop among the five leading brands. Repeated price increases disturbed channel inventory and limited entry-level availability, although the Y11 5G, Y21 5G and the revived S series, led by the S2, helped sustain shipments.
Oppo took third place with 4.9 million units, down 24%, as cautious retailer stocking and rising prices pressured its core A-series. The Reno16 series supported its premium strategy through camera-focused features and financing options. Xiaomi followed in fourth place with 4.7 million units, a 28% decrease, as higher component costs diluted its value-for-money appeal. The Redmi 15A and Redmi A7 remained key contributors, while the Redmi Note 17 series, Poco X8 and Poco X8 Power strengthened its higher-end portfolio.
Apple completed the top five with 3.9 million units. Demand was supported by channel inventory building before expected price increases and continued interest in the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 16, especially amid the absence of a new base iPhone 18. The late-quarter arrival of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max also benefited from bank cashback, exchange bonuses and no-cost EMI offers.
Chinese brands collectively accounted for about 68% of the market in the third quarter, lower than 75% a year earlier, while Samsung and Apple improved their positions. Omdia forecasts another low-single-digit decline for India's smartphone market in 2027, with pricing pressure expected to continue through at least the first half of the year. The report also noted that nearly four in ten Indian consumers said valuable AI features could persuade them to pay more for a smartphone, a trend vendors may increasingly use.
