April 18 - Apple (AAPL, Financial) recorded its strongest-ever first-quarter performance in India, shipping over 3 million iPhones in Q1 2025, a 36% increase from the year-ago period, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC).
The surge came despite a 9% year-over-year decline in shipments across China, Apple's largest market. The company has now posted seven straight quarters of falling sales in the region, losing share even as the broader Chinese smartphone market grew 3.3%.
India's growth was underpinned by affordability measures, including zero-interest installment plans and online retailer discounts. More than half the shipments were driven by the iPhone 16e, part of the latest product lineup that caters to cost-sensitive users.
Despite overall weakness in India's smartphone market, Apple outpaced rivals and rose to fourth in market share. It has also ramped up exports from India to the U.S., moving 600 tons of iPhones via air cargo to key cities including Los Angeles and New York, a shift aimed at dodging high tariffs on Chinese goods.
Apple's market share in China dropped to 13.7% from 17.4% last quarter, driven by pricing hurdles that limited its access to government incentives.
