India’s smartphone shipments grew 23% YoY to reach over 38 million units in Q1 2021, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service. These were the highest ever first-quarter shipments. New product launches, promotions and financial schemes, as well as pent-up demand coming from 2020, drove the smartphone market in Q1 2021.

Commenting on the competitive landscape and brand strategies, Research Analyst Shilpi Jain said, “The Chinese brands held a 75% share in the March-ended quarter. Xiaomi led the market with a 26% share, followed by Samsung, vivo, realme and OPPO.

In total 38 million smartphone were shipped in India in Q1 2021. While Apple is still a far way off from cracking the top five smartphone vendors in India, Apple did continue to carry forward its momentum from Q4 2020. It witnessed 207% YoY growth in Q1 2021. The brand maintained its leading position in the premium segment (>$400) with almost 48% share.

Strong demand for the iPhone 11 coupled with aggressive offers on the iPhone SE 2020 and expansion in ‘Make in India’ capabilities are the driving factors in this growth. Apple also registered more than 1 million shipments for two consecutive quarters for the first time. For more, read the full Counterpoint report.