Apple and Samsung dominate in Europe. The rest have no chance

According to data from Counterpoint, smartphone shipments in Europe increased by 2% year-on-year in the last quarter of last year. Apple maintained its leadership position. The American manufacturer’s market share increased to 33%. The giant sold 7% more devices than in Q4 2024. Analysts explain this by the demand for the new iPhone 17 series.

Samsung took second place in the ranking. The South Korean manufacturer has a 29% share in the European market. The company recorded a 4% increase in deliveries. Both leading brands have gained customers in Eastern Europe.

The leaders’ performance influenced other companies’ sales. Xiaomi has lost part of the market. Shipments of this brand’s smartphones decreased by 6% year-over-year. The 15T series models sold worse than the earlier 14T line. This was also influenced by greater competition in Western Europe.

The Oppo group also recorded declines. Its Realme brand reduced its deliveries by 21%. The Honor brand stands out on the list. This manufacturer increased the number of devices delivered by 18%.

Analysts predict a change in the situation. Jan Stryjak from Counterpoint Research predicts a large drop in deliveries in 2026. The main reason will be rising memory prices.

Despite ongoing macroeconomic headwinds in Europe, 2025 was a decent year for smartphone shipments, and it finished relatively strong. Both Apple and Samsung showed good growth. Honor, Motorola and Google continued their expansion in the region. However, that’s where the good news ends.

There is trouble on the horizon as rising memory prices are expected to cause significant declines in 2026. The lower-cost segments will face the biggest challenges, but overall shipments will still see significant year-on-year declines over the next few quarters.

The increases will affect the production of cheaper devices. The market must prepare for visible sales declines in the coming quarters.