Europe’s Smartphone Market Made a Come Back in 2024—But Will the Momentum Continue?

For years, Europe’s smartphone market felt like it was running on fumes. People held onto their phones longer, upgrades felt less urgent, and the industry seemed stuck in a cycle of decline.

This can be traced back to the 2020 and 2021 pandemic period, when people rushed to buy new capable devices as they adapted to remote work and online school. Once those phones were in hand, there wasn’t much reason to upgrade. So, for the past few years, the smartphone market has been stuck in a rut—until 2024.

After four consecutive years of shrinking sales, smartphone shipments grew by 5%, reaching 136.1 million units in the year.

So, what changed? A mix of things. First, those pandemic-era smartphones finally started to show their age, pushing many users to upgrade. Second, there was a growing appetite for high-end devices—more than 41 million devices priced over $800 were sold, the highest ever. And third? Some underdog brands made bold moves, shaking up the rankings in a way we haven’t seen in a long time.

No surprises in the vendor landscape— Samsung held onto its crown as Europe’s top smartphone brand, growing 6% to 46.4 million shipments. It dominated in France and Italy (32%) but faced stiff competition in Germany (34%) and Spain (28%). In the UK, though, Apple’s massive 52% market share kept Samsung in second place.

This helped Apple to retain its position as the second-largest brand with 34.9 million units shipped, albeit growing just 1%. Its iPhone 16 series and discounted older models drove last-minute holiday sales. It led in Germany (36%) and the UK (52%), proving its premium appeal.

Xiaomi held steady at 22.2 million units, leading Spain (28%) but slipping in Italy, where Motorola (11%) and realme (11%) gained ground

Speaking of underdogs, Motorola had a huge year—up 26%—with strong gains in Italy and Spain. Meanwhile, OPPO bounced back, growing 13%, thanks to renewed momentum in Southern Europe.

Although the market saw a major shift in 2024 with the rise of premium smartphones, other smaller players like HONOR and realme also saw double-digit growth, proving that consumers are still hungry for affordable devices.

While 2024 was a year of recovery, 2025 is shaping up to be a challenging year for smartphone brands. The EU's new eco-design regulations—requiring five years of software support and easily replaceable batteries—could shake up the industry. These changes could increase production costs, shrinking profit margins, and possibly lead to higher phone prices driving consumers away.

Now, the big question is: Can 2024's momentum last?