Samsung Maintains European Smartphone Lead as Apple Gains Ground
The European smartphone market witnessed a familiar leader but shifting dynamics in 2025, with Samsung maintaining its top position while Apple made significant gains that narrowed the gap between the two industry giants.
Market Share Dynamics
Recent market research data reveals that Samsung shipped approximately 46.6 million smartphones across European markets (excluding Russia) in 2025, representing a marginal increase from the 46.4 million units shipped in 2024. This performance secured Samsung a 35% market share in the region.
Apple demonstrated stronger growth momentum, with European shipments reaching 36.9 million units—a 6% increase from the 34.9 million units shipped in 2024. This translated to a 27% market share for Apple, indicating a narrowing gap between the two leading vendors.
Product Performance and Strategy
Samsung's performance showed some variation throughout the year. The first half reportedly saw muted results due to limited new offerings in the low-end segment. However, the company addressed this in the second half with strategic moves including a discounted version of the Galaxy A16 and strong momentum for the Galaxy A56, which emerged as Europe's top-selling smartphone overall.
Apple benefited from increased demand across both consumer and business segments. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 Pro Max models drove significant growth, while the iPhone 16e also performed well, ranking among Apple's top-selling models in the European market.
Market Context and Outlook
The European smartphone market experienced a slight contraction of approximately 1% in overall shipments during 2025, making the growth achieved by Apple particularly noteworthy. Samsung's ability to maintain its leadership position despite market challenges underscores its established presence and product appeal in the region.
The competition between these two tech giants continues to shape the European smartphone landscape, with both companies employing different strategies to capture market share. Samsung's strength in the mid-range segment, exemplified by the Galaxy A series success, contrasts with Apple's premium-focused approach that continues to gain traction.
Conclusion
While Samsung retains its position as Europe's leading smartphone vendor, Apple's substantial growth in 2025 signals a more competitive landscape ahead. The 8-percentage-point gap in market share between the two companies represents one of the closest margins in recent years. As both companies prepare their 2026 product lineups, European consumers can expect continued innovation and competitive offerings from these industry leaders. The evolving dynamics suggest that maintaining market leadership will require ongoing adaptation to changing consumer preferences and market conditions.