Inside India newsletter: Apple set to take a bigger bite of the world’s second-largest smartphone market

Hello, this is Priyanka Salve, writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to the latest edition of "Inside India" — your one-stop destination for stories and developments from the world's fastest-growing large economy.While U.S. tech major Apple ranks among the major smartphone brands in many Asian countries, India is an outlier, with Chinese brands and Korea's Samsung dominating the market. But last Friday, Apple's latest iPhone launch resulted in long queues outside the company's stores across major Indian cities. This week I dig deeper to understand what's driving Apple's popularity.Any thoughts on today's newsletter? Share them with the team. The big storyMUMBAI, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 18: Apple lovers and buyers explore iPhone 18 smartphones inside Apple Store at Jio World Drive in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) as official nationwide sales opened on September 18, 2026 in Mumbai, India. Hindustan Times | Hindustan Times | Getty ImagesBoosted by the strong demand for the latest iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, U.S. smartphone maker Apple is set to increase its share in India, a hotly contested market largely dominated by Chinese smartphone companies and Korea's Samsung.Last Friday, India was in t...