• Europe’s smartphone shipments declined 11% YoY in Q3 2023.
• Samsung touched its lowest Q3 shipments since 2011.
• Apple captured a higher market share despite its lowest Q3 shipments since 2014.
• HONOR was back in the top five after three years with strong growth in Western Europe.

London, New Delhi, Jakarta, Boston, Toronto, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – November 20, 2023

­Europe’s smartphone shipments declined 11% YoY in Q3 2023, according to the latest report from Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor Service. Western Europe declined by 8%, indicating a slight recovery from the 14% decline in the previous quarter. However, Eastern Europe declined by 15% due to continued economic and geopolitical challenges.

Commenting on the overall market, Research Analyst Harshit Rastogi said, “Q3 2023 saw the lowest Q3 smartphone shipments since 2011. However, some OEMs have managed to gain a foothold in the market, such as Transsion brands TECNO and Infinix (particularly in Russia), while HONOR is doing well in Western Europe. Even as the market shares of top players remain the same, Chinese OEMs are switching ranks among themselves.”

Commenting on the outlook, Associate Director Jan Stryjak said, “While the market continued to decline, major launches like the iPhone 15 series and Samsung’s fifth-generation foldables softened the fall. The rate of decline is slowing and, while we aren’t holding out a return to growth just yet, we are optimistic about a strong end to the year in Q4. Economic conditions continue to be tough, though, and people are holding on to their devices for longer than ever. Therefore, we expect the market to remain muted for the foreseeable future.”

Market summary for Q3 2023

• Samsung declined 15% YoY and reached its lowest Q3 shipments since 2011. The decline was mitigated by the launch of its new foldables, which received a warm reception in the region.
• Apple reached its highest Q3 share at 24% despite declining by 3% YoY and touching its lowest Q3 shipments since 2014. The OEM will likely lead in the coming quarter owing to pent-up upgrade demand for the iPhone 15 series.
• Xiaomi declined by 13% in Q3 2023 but remained the top player in Eastern Europe, capturing 35% of the market. The brand is also facing backlash in some Western European markets (like Finland) due to its continued presence in the Russian market.
• HONOR was the only brand among the top five to grow YoY, inching closer to levels before its split from Huawei and entering the top five. The brand is likely to take market share from other Chinese OEMs (like OPPO).
• Transsion brands TECNO and Infinix surged in the region, growing 192% and 518% respectively, with Russia being the primary market for both. In the coming quarters, the competition among the Chinese OEMs will intensify even as parallel imports sustain the market for Samsung and Apple.
• OPPO’s uncertainties in the region were reflected in its shipments, which declined 23% YoY. However, Eastern Europe limited the brand’s regional decline with 27% growth. In the coming quarters, the brand will likely face more issues in Western Europe.

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.

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