Smartphone market in Q1 (rollable devices)

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Apple led the European smartphone market and increased its market share.

During Apple’s financial conference call on February 2 for the calendar fourth quarter of 2023 and the fiscal first quarter of 2024, CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple had achieved revenue records in over two dozen countries and regions, including all-time highs in Europe and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region. Canalys has now released its analysis of the European smartphone market for the fourth quarter of 2023, confirming Apple’s leadership position. According to Canalys’ latest research, on the other hand, smartphone shipments to Europe (excluding Russia) declined by 3% year-on-year to 37.8 million units in Q4 2023. Apple regained the top spot in the rankings after seven quarters behind Samsung, experiencing a 1% year-on-year growth to reach 12.4 million units.

“High-end smartphones accounted for a record share of the European market in Q4 2023. Nearly 40% of smartphone shipments were priced at $800 or higher,” noted Runar Bjørhovde, an analyst at Canalys. “The strong demand for the iPhone 15 Pro drove the dominance of the high-end segment.” Looking ahead, Apple aims to capitalize on the upcoming refresh cycle by exploring new avenues to market iPhones. This includes initiatives such as the bank-as-a-channel approach, piloted with Santander in Spain, to provide consumers with additional purchasing options.

As for the market in 2024, and according to the latest research by Canalys, however, competitor forecasts for the smartphone market in Europe (excluding Russia) indicate a projected increase of 7% in shipments, reaching 132 million units in 2024. The anticipated refresh cycle and a reduction in economic pressures are expected to drive volume growth across Europe.