According to Canalys, the smartphone sector in Europe overall grew by 5% in 2024, ending four years of decline. More than 136 million devices were shipped, with premium models — $800 or more — accounting for 30 percent of total sales.
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European Smartphone Market Grows 5% in 2024, Samsung Leads, Apple Gains in Q4
Samsung remained top as the vendor by sales, but Apple again boasted amazing sales in the Q4 2024 quarter, after the release of the iPhone 16 with Apple Intelligence features. Sales of high-end devices stayed strong, and mid-to-low-end smartphone replacements, spurred by purchases during the pandemic, helped the overall market grow. Samsung’s sales for the year grew 6% and Apple saw a small 1% increase in iPhone deliveries.
Xiaomi remained the third-largest smartphone vendor in Europe, with volumes of Redmi, Poco, and Xiaomi-branded phones almost unchanged year-on-year. Motorola, on the other hand, grew massively at 26% YoY while Oppo’s shipments, which also included OnePlus devices, grew by 13%.
In 2024, the number of premium smartphones shipped was 41 million, the highest ever. Canalys did say that its analysis is based on shipments not actual sales in stores, however. Another factor was Apple flooding retail channels with iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 units ahead of their end-of-life due to the USB-C mandate. Retailers may continue selling these models if they were in stock before December 28.
Samsung’s growth was largely driven by the heavily marketed Galaxy S24 series, particularly during the Paris 2024 Olympics. In country-specific insights, Apple’s UK market share nearly doubled Samsung’s (52% vs. 28%), while Xiaomi outperformed Apple in Spain. Motorola achieved record sales in Europe due to offline store expansions, while Oppo rebounded in Southern European markets. Honor and Realme also saw double-digit growth, intensifying competition. Looking ahead to 2025, smartphone makers will face challenges under the EU’s Ecodesign Directive, which mandates longer software support, spare part availability, and easier device repairs—forcing companies to adapt their strategies.
