Samsung Maintains European Smartphone Market Lead in 2025, Apple and Honor Show Strongest Growth
The European smartphone market experienced a year of consolidation in 2025, with Samsung maintaining its leadership position while Apple and Honor emerged as the fastest-growing brands among the top five manufacturers. Despite a slight overall market contraction, these three companies demonstrated resilience in a competitive landscape.
Market Leadership and Rankings
Samsung secured the top position in the European market (excluding Russia) with 46.6 million units shipped, representing 35% of total market share. Apple followed in second place with 36.9 million shipments and 27% market share. Xiaomi maintained third position with 21.8 million units and 16% share, while Motorola held fourth place with 7.7 million shipments and 6% market share. Honor entered the Top 5 for the first time with 3.8 million devices shipped, capturing 3% of the market.
Growth Dynamics Among Top Brands
Apple and Honor were the only Top 5 brands to achieve year-over-year growth in 2025, with Apple increasing shipments by 6% and Honor by 4% compared to 2024. Both companies also reached record shipment levels in Europe during the year. In contrast, Xiaomi's shipments declined by 1%, while Motorola saw a 5% decrease. Outside the Top 5, brands like Nothing and Fairphone reported double-digit growth percentages, indicating opportunities for smaller manufacturers in specific market segments.
Quarterly Performance and Best-Selling Devices
The fourth quarter of 2025 saw Apple leading with 13.4 million shipments and 34% market share, followed closely by Samsung with 12.4 million units and 31% share. Honor demonstrated the strongest quarterly growth among Top 5 brands with a 24% increase compared to Q4 2024, followed by Motorola (13%) and Samsung (10%).
The Samsung Galaxy A56 emerged as Europe's best-selling smartphone in 2025, followed by the iPhone 16 and Samsung Galaxy A16. The top 10 best-selling devices list was dominated by Apple and Samsung, with six Apple models and four Samsung models comprising the entire ranking. Notably, no other brands managed to place devices in the top 10, marking a shift from 2024 when Xiaomi had representation in this elite group.
Market Context and Trends
The overall European smartphone market experienced a 1% decline in 2025, with total shipments reaching 134.2 million units. This represented approximately 10.8% of global smartphone shipments. The market contraction occurred alongside shifting consumer preferences and increased competition in the mid-range segment, where Samsung's A-series devices performed particularly well.
The data suggests a consolidation trend among leading brands, with Apple and Samsung continuing to dominate premium and mid-range segments while Honor's entry into the Top 5 indicates successful expansion strategies in the European market. The growth of smaller brands like Nothing and Fairphone points to continued consumer interest in alternative offerings, particularly in sustainability-focused and design-conscious segments.
Conclusion
The 2025 European smartphone market landscape reveals a story of established leadership and selective growth. While Samsung maintained its position at the top, Apple and Honor demonstrated the strongest momentum among major players. The market's slight contraction suggests consumers are becoming more selective, potentially extending device replacement cycles or focusing on specific features and value propositions. As the industry moves forward, the ability to balance innovation with market accessibility will likely determine which brands continue to thrive in Europe's competitive smartphone ecosystem.