India’s smartphone market falls 11.1 pct in Q2 2026, iPhone 17 remains the most shipped unit in the country
Follow UsSmartphone shipments fell 11.1% YoY, with H1 2026 volumes dropping to a five-year low.
Sub-US$100 smartphone shipments plunged 74.3%, as rising memory costs squeezed the entry-level market.
Samsung and Apple held relatively steady, while the iPhone 17 remained the top-shipped model in Q2.
India’s smartphone market recorded a sharp decline in the second quarter of 2026 as the memory component costs pushed handset prices higher and weakened demand, specifically in the entry-level segment. According to IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, smartphone shipments fell 11.1 pct year over year to 33.2 million units between April and June.
SurveyThe decline comes after a weak first half for the market. Shipments during H1 2026 stood at 64.2 million units, down 7.9 pct from the same period last year and marking the lowest first-half volume in five years. Even after lower shipments, the overall market value increased 3.6 percent in the first half, helped by higher average selling prices.
Entry-level phones take the biggest hit
The report showcased a sharp decline at the bottom end of the market. The shipments of smartphones priced below US$ 100 dropped 74.3 pct year over year, reducing the segment’s share from 15.6 pct to just 4.5 pct.
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The IDC report stated that the ongoing shortage has made it increasingly difficult for manufacturers to maintain margins on low-cost devices. As prices rise, some buyers are either moving to more expensive phones or delaying purchases altogether.
Samsung and Apple hold their ground
Vivo remained India’s largest smartphone brand by shipments, despite a 13.9 pct decline. Samsung ranked second with a 16.4 per cent share and shipments that were almost flat year over year. Apple also managed to keep shipments broadly stable, increasing its market share from 7.5 pct to 8.5 pct. The iPhone 17 remained the country’s top-shipped smartphone in both Q1 and Q2, according to IDC.
Realme shipments fell 14.2 pct, Xiaomi declined 10 pct, OPPO dropped 8.5 pct, while iQOO recorded the biggest fall among the top 10 brands at 61 pct.
Online sales decline as discounts disappear
The average selling price reached a record US $315, up 14.4 pct year over year. At the same time, online smartphone shipments fell 19.8 pct, reducing the channel’s share to 41.9 pct. Offline sales performed better, declining just 3.6 pct and accounting for 58.1 pct of shipments. IDC expects the second half of 2026 to remain challenging, forecasting smartphone shipments to fall more than 15 pct.
