Apple's market share soars in India, Samsung continues to struggle
Apple has widened its lead in India, taking a huge chunk of the market from its closest rival Samsung. As per International Data Corporation (IDC) data, Apple's value market share for the September quarter stood at 28.7%, a whopping lead over Samsung's 15.2%. This is a decline for Samsung from its March quarter's 22.5%. The report also notes this is Samsung's third consecutive quarter of shipment decline, while Apple has been growing consistently over a few quarters.
iPhone shipments in India could surpass 12 million mark
Between January and September, Apple's total iPhone shipments in India crossed the nine million mark, representing a 35% growth over the same period last year. IDC analysts anticipate that owing to strong demand for the new iPhone 16 series and a robust October-December quarter, Apple's shipments could exceed 12 million units this year. This would be a major jump from last year's nine million units.
Maintaining high aspirational value despite premium pricing
Despite its premium pricing, Apple still maintains a high aspirational value. Upasana Joshi from IDC India said, "Though it will be tricky for Apple to grow beyond a certain base with such high ASPs, especially for the price-conscious India market, the affordability drive will ensure a steady upward growth trend in 2025 as well for iPhones." The company's biggest quarter of volume shipments was driven by iPhone 15 and 13, which were the most shipped devices during September quarter.
Apple ranks 2nd in online channel, 6th overall
Apple also became the second-largest player in the online channel and the sixth largest brand overall in India. It maintained an 8.6% volume market share with a YoY growth of 58.5%. Meanwhile, Samsung's volume market share dropped from 16.2% last year to 12.3% in September quarter, with shipments dropping by 20%. Notably, Apple's ASP was over $950 while Samsung's remained between $320 and $350.
Brand loyalty plays a significant role in Apple's success
Faisal Kawoosa, chief analyst at TechArc, notes that iPhone buyers are highly loyal to the brand, often preferring to stay with Apple even if it means buying an older model. Meanwhile, Samsung sees more switching as people look at alternatives with better specs or unique designs. "So while Apple in many ways doesn't have competition and once a consumer decides to buy an iPhone, the probability is very low that the consumer will switch to another brand," Kawoosa explained.
Samsung's market share decline linked to various factors
Analysts have blamed Samsung's market value share decline on multiple factors such as brand fatigue, inventory issues, and fierce competition from Chinese brands. The company is also struggling with its offline retail channel due to factory disruptions. Kawoosa also noted that "Samsung's mid-range A series offers limited differentiation from its M series and lacks the fast-charging capabilities that competitors provide," making it difficult for Samsung to retain potential customers.
