Smartphone sales in Europe fell by 10%
The current crisis has hit low-cost and mid-range Android smartphones the hardest. The rising cost of memory and other components has forced manufacturers to raise prices and reduce discounts, while buyers have become more cautious about their spending. As a result, the market is rapidly shifting toward Apple and Samsung.
Apple caught up with Samsung, and the two companies now hold 68% of the market
In the second quarter of 2026, 35 million smartphones were shipped in Europe – 10% fewer than a year earlier. This was the worst second-quarter result since 2023.
In a declining market, Apple increased its share from 25% to 34% and caught up with Samsung. The Korean company’s share also increased – from 31% to 34%. As a result, in just one year, the combined share of the two largest manufacturers increased from 56% to 68%.
| Brand | Q2 2025 | Q2 2026 | Change | Estimated shipments in Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 25% | 34% | +9 p.p. | ≈11.9 million |
| Samsung | 31% | 34% | +3 p.p. | ≈11.9 million |
| Xiaomi | 19% | 15% | -4 p.p. | ≈5.3 million |
| OPPO | 6% | 4% | -2 p.p. | ≈1.4 million |
| HONOR | 4% | 3% | -1 p.p. | ≈1.1 million |
| Others | 14% | 11% | -3 p.p. | ≈3.9 million |
In Counterpoint’s statistics, OnePlus and realme are also included in OPPO’s figures. Due to rounding, individual shares may not add up exactly to 100%.
An increase in Samsung’s share does not mean an increase in shipments
The change in market share looks better for Samsung than the actual shipment figures. A year earlier, the European market amounted to approximately 38.9 million devices. If the published market shares are converted into units, Samsung shipped approximately 11.9 million smartphones compared with about 12.1 million a year earlier – meaning shipments remained roughly flat.
Apple’s shipments increased from approximately 9.7 million to 11.9 million devices, a gain of more than 20%. Xiaomi, on the other hand, may have lost about 29% of its shipment volume, OPPO approximately 40%, and HONOR more than 30%. These figures are calculated from rounded market shares, so they should be regarded as approximate.
Why Apple is growing in a declining market
The main source of growth was Western Europe. Demand there proved more resilient than expected, and the ongoing shift toward higher price segments worked in Apple’s favor. Samsung also posted a more stable result, but its growth was significantly more modest.
At the same time, there is no breakdown of Apple’s European shipments by individual model. Therefore, it is not yet possible to attribute the surge exclusively to the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, or iPhone 17e.
Apple and Samsung are effectively taking over the market just as affordable devices are becoming harder to sell. A year ago, Xiaomi, OPPO, and HONOR together controlled 29% of the European market; now they account for only 22%.
Budget smartphones have become the main victims of rising prices
Manufacturers have to pay more for memory and other components. Passing these costs on to consumers without causing a noticeable drop in demand is most difficult in the lower price segment, so some companies are simultaneously raising prices, reducing their product ranges, and cutting back on familiar discounts.
This is especially noticeable in Eastern Europe, where affordable devices from Chinese brands account for a large share of the market. The decline there was significantly stronger than in Western Europe. For buyers, even a relatively small price increase for a budget smartphone is more significant than a similar price hike for a flagship device.
Additional pressure comes from the broader economic situation. High inflation and uncertainty are causing users to keep their old smartphones longer and postpone non-essential purchases.
The market may continue to decline
Analysts do not yet expect a rapid recovery. Smartphone inventories in European sales channels are shrinking, while cost pressures have not disappeared. In the coming quarters, the market may lose additional volume, with manufacturers of budget models once again facing the greatest pressure.
Apple remains the main exception: growth in the premium segment allows the company to take market share from competitors even as the overall market shrinks. If the trend continues, Samsung will have to fight not only to maintain its leadership – for the first time in a long while, the two companies are heading into the next quarter from virtually identical positions.
