The Business Standard in India is reporting today that Apple Inc. had its strongest quarter for iPhone sales in India yet, a sign the Cupertino, Calif.-based company is finally making progress in the world’s fastest-growing smartphone market. Sales increased to 2.3 million units in the fourth quarter, up 34% from a year earlier, according to the market research firm Counterpoint. 

Sales increased to 2.3 million units in the fourth quarter, up 34% from a year earlier, according to numbers from the market research firm Counterpoint. In context, China’s Xiaomi Corp. and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. sold 9.3 million and 7.2 million smartphones for the quarter respectively, leading in terms of units.

Neil Shah, the Mumbai-based partner and research head at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, stated for the report that "It’s a turning point for Apple in India. Indians were willing to lavish money on premium phones during the pandemic because everyone’s lives revolved around their devices and there was nothing else to spend on."

Apple is continuing to improve its position in India. It has opened its own India online store, streamlined discounts and started local manufacturing of iPhones. It’s planning to open company-owned retail outlets in multiple cities in the coming quarters.

Although Apple’s market share has climbed, it remains in the single digits at just over 5% for the quarter. For more, read the full Indian report by Business Standard.