India has overtaken China in smartphone shipments to the US - thanks to Apple
The shift in the world's manufacturing map is accelerating: for the first time in history, India has overtaken China in terms of smartphone production shipped to the US. According to Canalys analysts, in the second quarter of 2025, 44% of all smartphones entering the US market were assembled in India. In comparison, China, which held 60 per cent of the market a year ago, has now dropped to 25 per cent. Vietnam was also in the top three - it became the second in terms of shipments, mainly thanks to Samsung.
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Apple played a key role in India's surge. The company sharply increased iPhone production in South Asia to reduce dependence on China and protect itself from trade risks and geopolitical tensions. Shipments of smartphones assembled in India more than tripled in a year.
However, despite the increase in production, iPhone sales in the US fell by 11% year-on-year. The reason is a change in logistics patterns: Apple shipped large quantities in advance in the first quarter to build inventory in warehouses and avoid supply problems. Experts also point to low consumer demand amid the pressure in the economy: the market grew by only 1%.
Shares of smartphone manufacturing countries in the US, 2Q 2024 vs 2Q 2025. Illustration: Canalys
The shift of production from China to India and Vietnam is a trend in recent years. This doesn't please US President Donald Trump, who is again pushing for Apple and other tech giants to bring device assembly back to the States. But so far, not a single Apple smartphone is being made in the US, despite the company's promises to invest $500bn in the US economy over four years.
Source: Canalys
