European Smartphone Market Sees Growth After Years of Decline
In 2024, the smartphone sector in Europe experienced a resurgence, recording a growth of 5% following a four-year downturn. Canalys reported that over 136 million units were shipped during this period, with premium smartphones—priced at $800 and above—accounting for 30% of total shipments.
Dominance of Major Brands
Samsung continued to lead the market in 2024, although Apple enjoyed substantial sales figures in the fourth quarter. The strong performance was largely attributed to favorable consumer interest in the iPhone 16, even in light of its absence of advanced Apple Intelligence features.
The robust demand for high-end devices coincided with an ongoing replacement cycle fueled by mid-range and budget smartphones purchased during the pandemic. Samsung’s sales rose by 6% compared to the previous year, while Apple recorded a marginal increase of 1% in iPhone shipments.
Xiaomi’s Steady Performance and Motorola’s Surge
Xiaomi retained its position as Europe’s third-largest smartphone seller by maintaining shipment levels comparable to those from 2023 across its Redmi, Poco, and Xiaomi-branded lines. Meanwhile, Motorola saw an impressive year-on-year growth rate of 26%, while Oppo’s shipments increased by 13%; it’s worth noting that Canalys included OnePlus units within Oppo’s figures.
The analysis indicated that premium device sales reached a record high this year—41 million units represented about 30% of total shipments. The report is based on shipping data rather than direct retail sales; it also considers Apple’s strategic push for iPhone models like iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 before they were withdrawn due to regulatory mandates regarding USB-C compatibility. Retailers can still sell these products if they were available prior to December 28 when new regulations took effect.
Impactful Marketing Strategies
A significant contributor to Samsung’s increase was driven by marketing surrounding their Galaxy S24 series during high-visibility events like the Paris Olympics held earlier this year.
Diverse Market Dynamics Across Regions
An evaluation across various European nations revealed that Apple nearly doubled Samsung’s shipment figures within the UK (52% vs.28%), but it experienced a dip into third place within Spain where Xiaomi pulled ahead with stronger sales than its competitor from South Korea.
This upward trajectory has been significant for Motorola as well; it achieved record sales numbers throughout Europe due largely to enhanced distribution through offline outlets alongside open market initiatives. Following two challenging years, Oppo made gains primarily within Southern European markets including Spain, Italy, Romania, and Portugal. Additionally, brands such as Honor and Realme also reported double-digit increases contributing further excitement among consumers and intensifying competition across channels.
| Brand | Shipments (in millions) | Market Share (%) | June ’23 | June ’24Annual Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 46 .4 | 34 % |34% td>< td >6% t d > tr > |
| 34 .9 td >26 %|27% td >1% t d > tr > | ||