According to a report by CyberMedia Research (CMR), 5G-enabled smartphone shipments in India grew 12 per cent year-on-year in 2025 and accounted for 88 per cent of total smartphone volumes, driven by wider chipset availability across price segments and near-nationwide 5G coverage.
The report said 5G has now transitioned from being a premium feature to becoming the default standard in the market.
Vivo led the 5G smartphone segment with a 19 per cent market share. The Rs 6,000-Rs 8,000 price band contributed the highest 5G shipment volumes, with shipments in this segment jumping more than 1,900 per cent year-on-year, supported by aggressive pricing strategies.
CMR said the rapid expansion of affordable 5G devices, sustained demand in the premium segment and the rise of challenger brands indicate a structural shift in the market rather than a slowdown. Overall smartphone shipments in calendar year 2025 declined marginally by 1 per cent compared to 2024.
In overall market rankings for 2025, Vivo led with a 19 per cent share, followed by Samsung at 16 per cent, Oppo at 13 per cent, Xiaomi at 13 per cent, and Realme at 10 per cent.
Further, the report mentioned that within Vivo’s portfolio, the T4X, Y19, Y29 and Y39 models contributed 34 per cent of the brand’s 5G shipments, reflecting strong performance in the mass-market segment. Oppo’s volumes were supported by models such as the A3X, A5 Pro and A5X, along with a refreshed product mix targeting the value-for-money and premium segments.
Xiaomi recorded the steepest shipment decline at 27 per cent year-on-year, reducing its market share from 18 per cent in 2024 to 13 per cent in 2025. Realme saw a 10 per cent shipment decline, while Samsung’s shipments fell 9 per cent during the same period. Meanwhile, Apple recorded 25 per cent annual growth in India, reaching close to a 9 per cent market share. The base iPhone 16 accounted for 47 per cent of the series’ volumes, indicating strong demand for the base variant over higher-end versions. The iPhone 16 and 15 series together contributed 81 per cent of total shipments in 2025, while the iPhone 17 series accounted for 10 per cent, showing early traction.
On the chipset side, MediaTek led India’s smartphone processor market with a 45 per cent share, while Qualcomm dominated the premium smartphone segment with a 34 per cent share.
Furthermore, CMR expects India’s smartphone market to see a single-digit decline in 2026, with demand likely to recover gradually as pricing pressures ease.
