Omdia: Europe’s smartphone market grew 2% in Q1, but is expected to fall 12% for the full 2026
Samsung Leads the Pack as European Smartphone Prices Reach Record Highs
The first quarter of 2026 was a bit of a rollercoaster for the European smartphone market. According to the latest data from Omdia, roughly 33 million smartphones were shipped across Europe (excluding Russia) during the first three months of the year. While that is a modest 2% bump compared to last year, analysts are already warning that the road ahead might get a little bumpy.
Samsung is back on top. After some stiff competition, the Korean tech giant reclaimed its #1 spot by shipping 12.6 million units, representing a 3% growth. What makes this impressive is that Samsung managed to do this despite some scheduling hiccups; the flagship Galaxy S26 series and mid-range favorites like the Galaxy A57 launched later than usual. Instead, the budget-friendly Galaxy A16 4G stepped up to do much of the heavy lifting.
Apple and the Shift in Market Dynamics
Apple slipped to the #2 position, which isn’t unusual for the first quarter given their massive Q4 peak. However, the numbers are still looking bright for Cupertino. They shipped 8.8 million iPhones—an 8.8% increase over the previous year. Demand for the iPhone 17 and its Pro counterparts remains high, while older or more affordable models like the iPhone 15 and 16e are keeping Apple competitive in the mid-tier segment.
High Demand for Premium Devices
Xiaomi had a bit of a strange quarter. Their overall shipments dropped by 15% to 4.5 million units, yet their high-end models tell a different story. The Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra, along with the 15T series, actually saw record-breaking demand. It seems European buyers are increasingly gravitating toward premium hardware, even if overall volume is down.
Meanwhile, Motorola and Honor are the ones to watch. Motorola grew 17% thanks to strong performance in Iberia, while Honor exploded with a massive 60% growth rate, nearly overtaking Oppo for a spot in the top tier.
The €580 Threshold: Why Phones Are Getting More Expensive
One of the most striking stats from the Omdia report is the Average Selling Price (ASP). A new smartphone in Europe now costs an average of €580—an all-time high. This isn’t just because flagships are getting pricier; it’s because the “cheap” phone is becoming a rare breed. Devices priced under €200 now make up only 25% of the market.
As Runar Bjorhovde, Principal Analyst at Omdia, points out, the shrinking availability of entry-level devices is fundamentally changing the market landscape. While Q1 outperformed expectations, the forecast for the rest of 2026 is cautious. Analysts are predicting a 12% dip in shipments by year-end, with most of that decline expected to hit in the second half of the year.
Data via Omdia