•    Europe’s smartphone market grew for four consecutive quarters for the first time since Q1 2017.
•    Apple grew well YoY despite a slow start for the iPhone 16.
•    realme bounced back, particularly in Western Europe, while HONOR consolidated its fifth position with a strong performance in both Eastern and Western Europe.
•    We expect a seasonal decline in the coming quarters, although HONOR’s continued growth plus the launch of the iPhone 16e and expansion of Apple Intelligence across Europe will likely help curb the drop.

London, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – February 20, 2025

Europe’s smartphone market grew for the fourth consecutive quarter in Q4 2024, registering 4% YoY shipment growth, according to Counterpoint Research’s Q4 2024 Smartphone Market Monitor. This is the first time we have seen such a run of growth since Q1 2017, and it can be primarily attributed to a rebound from a poor 2023, plus impressive growth from the likes of realme and HONOR.

Commenting on the market scenario, Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint, said, “The growth for four consecutive quarters shows that the difficulties of 2023 are largely behind us. Despite a relatively slow start, Apple saw good growth for its iPhone 16 series. But the real stars of Q4 2024 were realme and HONOR. realme rebounded well from a challenging few years, particularly in Western Europe, while HONOR consolidated its fifth position with a strong performance in both Eastern and Western Europe.”

Commenting on the outlook for the rest of the year, Stryjak said, “We expect a seasonal decline in the coming quarters, although HONOR’s continued growth plus the launch of the iPhone 16e and expansion of Apple Intelligence into EU markets will likely help curb the drop. Geopolitical issues, especially the potential end to the Russia-Ukraine war and the impact of the new Trump administration, will add some uncertainty to the region, but overall, we expect low single-digit growth in 2025.”

Market summary
•    Apple overtook Samsung to take the top spot in Europe, as expected, with 8% YoY growth in Q4 2024. Despite weak initial sales for the iPhone 16, demand increased towards the end of the year.
•   Samsung grew just 2%, dropping to second spot, although the Galaxy S24 FE and Galaxy A16 helped boost the brand’s growth over the busy Christmas period.
•    Xiaomi was largely flat in Europe in Q4 2024, facing competition from realme, HONOR and Google. The brand was able to maintain its leadership in Central and Eastern Europe, thanks to the continued popularity of its Redmi sub-brand.
•    realme grew 32% YoY as it rebounded well, particularly in Western Europe. Its Eastern and Central European performance was largely stable.
•    HONOR’s ambitious plans for Europe are bearing fruit, and some impressive devices helped the brand consolidate its fifth position with 77% YoY growth.

Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects, and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.