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Apple overtakes Samsung in European carrier smartphone market
Apple has overtaken Samsung as the leading smartphone brand in the European mobile operator channel for the second quarter of 2026. According to data from Counterpoint Research, Apple captured a 37 percent market share in this segment, up from 33 percent a year earlier, while Samsung’s share fell from 39 percent to 34 percent.
While the overall European smartphone market experienced an 8 percent year-over-year decline, the impact varied significantly by sales channel. Sales through independent open-market retailers dropped by 11 percent, whereas sales through mobile network operators saw a much smaller decline of only 4 percent.
Analysts attribute this disparity to rising costs for memory components, such as DRAM and NAND flash, driven by high demand for AI-capable devices. These increased hardware costs have disproportionately affected the budget-friendly segment, which is primarily sold through open-market retailers. In contrast, mobile operators focus on premium flagship devices, which are often sold through installment plans and service contracts, making them more resilient to price increases.
Other manufacturers also saw notable activity in the operator channel, with Vivo and Motorola recording rapid year-over-year growth of 90 percent and 27 percent, respectively.
Entities
Apple · Counterpoint Research · Motorola · Samsung · Vivo
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Apple's market share through European operators rose from 33 percent to 37 percent. swedroid.se · mobilsiden.dk
- [● 2 SOURCES] Rising memory chip prices have pressured the budget smartphone segment. swedroid.se
- [● 3 SOURCES] Apple overtook Samsung as the leading smartphone brand sold through European mobile operators in the second quarter of 2026. swedroid.se · mobilsiden.dk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Sales through mobile operators fell by 4 percent, while open market sales dropped by 11 percent. swedroid.se · mobilsiden.dk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Samsung's market share through European operators fell from 39 percent to 34 percent. swedroid.se · mobilsiden.dk
- [● 2 SOURCES] Motorola's sales through operators grew by 27 percent year-over-year. swedroid.se
- [● 2 SOURCES] Vivo's sales through operators increased by 90 percent compared to the previous year. swedroid.se
- [● 3 SOURCES] Total European smartphone sales decreased by 8 percent in the second quarter. swedroid.se · mobilsiden.dk