India’s Evolving Refurbished Smartphone Growth Story: Shifting Demand From iPhone Base Models to Pro Variants
- India’s refurbished smartphone sales grew 4.9% YoY in H1 2025, driven by strong Q2 sales. The growth rate has reduced but demand is high, with Apple recording the highest growth among brands.
- The majority of refurbished iPhone users continue to opt for base models, but demand is shifting toward Pro and higher-storage variants, where significant value lies.
- Consumers are increasingly seeking recent-generation premium flagships, including the iPhone 13 and 14 series and Samsung’s Galaxy S21, S22 and S23 series.
New Delhi, Seoul, Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, Taipei, Tokyo –September 30, 2025
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India’s secondary smartphone market has been on a growth trajectory for the last four years now. According to Counterpoint’s Global Secondary Smartphone Market report, India’s refurbished smartphone sales grew 4.9% in H1 2025. Q1 was seasonally slow, but Q2 gave the industry a much-needed push. Supply issues continued to stifle growth, especially for recent models as consumers are increasingly seeking recent-generation premium flagships. Further, there is a growing focus on warranty coverage and device authenticity, with consumers actively avoiding stolen or unverified devices.
Apple recorded the highest growth among brands, with the majority of refurbished iPhone users continuing to opt for base models. But an increasing demand for Pro iPhone models has been witnessed in India over the last few quarters, creating an unmet demand due to the limited supply of these premium models. In fact, the share of Pro iPhones in the secondary market now exceeds their share in the new smartphone market.
Volume Growing But Growth Rate Declining
India Refurbished Smartphone Sales with Growth Rate, H1 2021 to H1 2025
Post-iPhone 17 launch, India’s refurbished smartphone market is expected to see an uptick in demand, trade-in values and average selling prices (ASPs). ASPs for the iPhone 16 and 15 series models are projected to see a smaller-than-usual decline due to limited supply, while Pro and Pro Max models are likely to retain strong value given sustained demand.
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Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.
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Author
Glen Cardoza
Glen Cardoza is a Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research tracking smartphones and related ecosystems in emerging Asia. He also tracks the global secondary smartphone market. He has done his MBA in marketing and joins Counterpoint after a 7-year stint in core market research including primary quantitative and qualitative research with global players like Nielsen. His expertise lies in the smartphone and automotive sectors