Apple overtakes Samsung to become the top smartphone maker in Europe

Apple is overtaking Samsung in another smartphone market. Apple became the top smartphone seller after being behind Samsung for almost two years (seven quarters). Samsung acquired the second place by selling 10.8 million phones in Europe in Q4 2023.

According to Canalys report, Apple sold 12.4 million phones, up 1% year-on-year, while Samsung shipped 10.8 million units, down 12%. Samsung was still the biggest seller in 2023 but had strong competition from Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and Google‘s Pixel devices in the high-end segment.

Xiaomi, Motorola, and HONOR were the other top sellers in Q4, with 6.0 million, 2.0 million, and 1.1 million phones sold, respectively. Xiaomi declined 10% but maintained its lead in Central and Eastern Europe.

Motorola and HONOR achieved impressive growth rates of 73% and 116%, respectively, by securing mobile network operator deals and expanding their product portfolios. HONOR also reached the top five for the first time in Europe, as it prepares for an IPO.

The European smartphone market is expected to grow in single digits in 2024, driven by a refresh cycle of devices bought during the pandemic. Canalys analysts said that vendors need to adopt a holistic approach that emphasizes innovation, reliability, logistics, compliance, and branding to stand out.

They also said that AI integration in smartphones will be a key feature for long-term competitiveness and that vendors need to educate consumers on how to use on-device AI features to get the most value from their devices.