Apple Finally broke into the top 5 Smartphone vendors in India in Q4 2024 & has become the Brand of Choice among young Indians
This morning, Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple has Launched the Apple Store App in India while revealing plans for future Flag Ship Stores in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR+." Apple is making the Indian market a priority working with Foxconn, the Tata Group and others to expand production in India and planning to open new flagship stores in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR+ in the not-too-distant future.
A new report from India's Moneycontrol states that Apple is riding high on its unprecedented popularity in Q4 2024 by achieving a remarkable 9–10% market share during the festive October–December period – a historic feat since the brand first began selling iPhones in India, according to preliminary data from market trackers IDC and Counterpoint Research
The unstoppable ascent of Apple in India reaches a new milestone! The Cupertino-based tech giant has broken barriers and secured its place among the country's top five smartphone brands for the first time since it started selling iPhones in India.
Riding high on its unprecedented popularity, Apple achieved a remarkable 9–10% market share during the festive October–December period of 2024—a historic feat since the brand first began selling iPhones in India, according to preliminary data from market trackers IDC and Counterpoint Research, exclusively available with Moneycontrol.
“Apple set a record by entering the top five vendor list for the Indian smartphone market in Q4 2024 with a market share exceeding 9%. Festive discounts drove this growth, alongside affordability offers such as 24-month no-cost EMIs, which ran throughout 2024 and emerged as one of the leading factors for this surge. E-tailer deals also ensured a high double-digit growth for Apple through the year,” Upasana Joshi, Research Director at IDC told Moneycontrol.
Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint, explained that the growing premiumization trend in India has particularly benefited Apple.
“There has been a significant rise in the premium smartphone segment in India. With increasing disposable income and aspirational purchases among the growing middle class, especially the youth, Apple has become the brand of choice for young consumers. Beyond Tier 2 cities, the iPhone represents more than just a smartphone—it’s a lifestyle statement,” said Pathak.
Record Annual Growth
In 2024, Apple shipped over 12 million iPhones in India, marking a robust 34–35% year-on-year growth compared to 9 million shipments in 2023, according to IDC preliminary data. Counterpoint Research’s preliminary data also suggests similar annual growth for Apple in India.
Preliminary estimates from IDC indicate that India’s smartphone market shipped over 38 million units in Q4 2024, with a 5–6% year-on-year growth following a substantial festive quarter shipment of 46 million units in Q3 2024. “Annual shipments for 2024 are estimated to have reached approximately 153–154 million units, compared to 145 million in 2023,” said Joshi.