According to the latest research from Omdia, the European smartphone market, excluding Russia, grew by 2% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 33 million units. The market demonstrated resilience despite ongoing increases in supply chain costs and heightened product supply risks. Strong end-user demand and channel pre-stocking collectively drove the market growth.

In Q1 2026, Samsung maintained its top position in Europe with shipments of 12.6 million units, a 3% increase year-over-year. Effective promotions for the Galaxy A16 4G helped boost Samsung's overall shipments, offsetting the impact from the delayed launches of the Galaxy S26, A57, and A37. Apple (AAPL.US) saw its shipments grow by 9% to 8.8 million units, primarily benefiting from robust demand for the iPhone 17 series and the broader market coverage of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16e in the mid-range segment. Notably, Apple achieved this strong performance despite offering fewer and less frequent discounts compared to previous years.

Xiaomi (01810) retained its third-place position with shipments of 4.5 million units. Its average selling price (ASP) increased by 21% year-over-year, driven primarily by the record performance of the Xiaomi 17 and 15T series. Despite a decline in shipment volume, the overall market value still achieved year-over-year growth, with premium products performing particularly well in France, Germany, and Spain.

Motorola's shipments grew by 17% to 1.9 million units, benefiting from its rapid expansion in Spain and Portugal, along with continued progress in France and Italy. OPPO's shipments increased by 9% to 1.3 million units, with growth mainly stemming from its return to the French market and expansion in Romania and Poland. With realme and OnePlus now integrated into its system, OPPO is optimizing its product portfolio and market strategy through business restructuring to further strengthen its position in Europe.

Honor ranked sixth and was the fastest-growing brand among the top manufacturers, with shipments increasing by over 60% compared to the first quarter of 2025. Honor's growth is primarily attributed to the further expansion of its product line into lower price segments.

Omdia Principal Analyst Runar Bjorhovde stated: "Demand for smartphones in Europe remains healthy, with sustained replacement cycles and channel partners expanding their inventories jointly driving shipment growth. Although some price increases have already appeared in the market, and discounts and promotional frequency are lower than in previous years, manufacturers and channel partners are more concerned about potential developments later in 2026. In a region where the top three manufacturers collectively hold nearly 80% market share, competition often occurs more between channels than between manufacturers, making channel pre-stocking a reasonable defensive strategy."

Bjorhovde added: "In Q1 2026, the average selling price (ASP) for smartphones in Europe reached a record 580 euros. This is mainly due to a reduction in the supply of models priced below 200 euros, whose share of total shipments fell to a historic low of just 25%. Meanwhile, the premium market remains resilient, driven by Apple's growth. Both manufacturers and channel partners are currently shifting their focus from merely pursuing sales volume to pursuing value growth to achieve better business results and sustainable operations. Many manufacturers that previously focused mainly on the mass market are gradually turning to the mid-to-high-end segment, hoping to attract consumers who are less price-sensitive and more willing to upgrade."

Bjorhovde commented: "Market performance in Q1 2026 exceeded expectations, but with memory costs continuing to rise and supply changing rapidly, the overall outlook remains pessimistic. Omdia forecasts that smartphone shipments in Europe will decline by 12% in 2026, with most of the drop concentrated in the second half of the year. As long as the market expects significant future price increases, inventory levels are expected to remain above normal. However, from a medium- to long-term perspective, a market decline is inevitable, as it becomes more advantageous to control inventory more cautiously and reduce levels again once memory prices begin to stabilize."

He further pointed out: "Both manufacturers and channel partners need to maintain high flexibility in a constantly changing market environment, but they must also ensure a consistent focus on attracting end consumers and strengthening their own brands to achieve long-term success."