European Smartphone Shipments Drop 10% in 2Q26

The European smartphone market saw a further downturn in the second quarter of 2026, with shipments dropping 10% year-on-year to 35 million units. This marks the weakest second-quarter performance for the region in three years, according to data from Counterpoint Research. The decline is attributed to rising component costs, which led to higher retail prices and a reduction in manufacturer promotions. Furthermore, the macroeconomic environment—exacerbated by the Iran War and subsequent inflation—has weakened consumer demand for discretionary purchases compared to the previous year.

Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, noted that manufacturers are currently focused on protecting profit margins, which has limited the availability of consumer deals. Apple and Samsung remain the market leaders, each capturing a 34% share of the total market. They were followed by Xiaomi with 15%, Oppo with 4%, and Huawei with 3%. Other brands combined to make up the remaining 11% of the market. Notably, Apple and Samsung were the only major vendors to grow their market share relative to 2025, while most other brands saw a contraction.

The research highlighted a divide between regions; Western Europe performed relatively better due to a strong quarter from Apple and marginal growth from Samsung. However, Eastern Europe experienced a significant decline as budget segments were squeezed and Chinese manufacturers struggled. With inventory levels currently running low across the continent, Counterpoint expects further declines in the coming quarters, particularly for lower-end players. Apple, however, is projected to remain a bright spot and continue outperforming the broader market for the foreseeable future.