Apple sold record 2.5 million iPhones in India in 2016

According to a report from research firm Counterpoint, Apple reached a new mileston in terms of iPhone sales in India last year. The Cupertino tech giant sold over 2.5 million units of iPhone in the country in 2016. The report further mentions that Apple sold a third these devices in the fourth quarter, when the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were launched.

Apple also managed to capture 10th position in the Indian smartphone market during Q4 2016, but topped the premium segment (above $450 | Rs. 30,000) with a total market share of 63 percent. The company could further improve its position in the country in the future, if its manages to start local productions of iPhone, which will allow Apple to avoid high import fees and other duties, as a result, bringing down the price of iPhone.

Counterpoint Research report suggests that Samsung was the top smartphone vendor in Q4 2016, with 24 percent market share, followed by vivo (second with 10 percent), Xiaomi (third with nine percent), Lenovo (fourth with nine percent) and Oppo (fifth with eight percent market share). Chinese smartphone makers also accounted for 46 percent of the total smartphone shipments in Q4, 2016, up from 14 percent a year ago, outplaying domestic smartphone vendors like Micromax, Intex, Lava and LYF (Reliance Jio smartphone brand).

The report also reveals that one in three smartphones sold in the country in Q4, 2016 were sold via e-commerce portals.