NEW DELHI: India’s smartphone market is seeing a sharper divide between premium and budget devices, with flagship models such as the Apple iPhone 17 driving aspirational demand, while affordable 5G handsets continue to power massmarket growth, according to data from Counterpoint Research.The research firm’s Q1 2026 smartphone model tracker showed the Apple iPhone 17 (Rs 82,900) and Oppo A6x 5G (Rs 16,999) held the top two positions in India with a 4% market share each. The list was followed by Vivo Y19s 5G (Rs 12,499) and Vivo Y31 5G (Rs 19,999) at 3% each, while the Vivo Y31 Pro 5G (Rs 19,999) accounted for 2% of the market. iPhone 16, which was previously the best-seller, occupied the sixth spot with 2% market share. According to Shubham Singh, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, premium smartphones continue to attract buyers despite rising prices, as consumers increasingly view devices such as iPhones as long-term investments.At the same time, “lower-cost 5G smartphones are expanding the addressable market by making next-gen connectivity accessible to a wider base of users,” he said. The report highlighted the strong performance of Vivo in India’s mass-market 5G segment.
