Back in August, Counterpoint research estimated a total of 35 million smartphone shipments in Europe during the April – June period (Q2). We now get a more detailed breakdown of shipment numbers and their share between retailers and carriers. While shipments from the open market (retailer) saw an 11% decline compared to Q2 2025, the operator channel (carrier) experienced only a 4% decrease for the same period.
Europe Smartphone Sales Share by Channel (Counterpoint Research Europe Channel Share Tracker)
As Counterpoint analysts explain, carriers usually move higher-end devices compared to retailers. The ongoing decline in the budget segment due to the memory chip crisis reduced shipments for entry-level devices, which were mostly driven by independent retailers.
Apple has actually overtaken Samsung as the leading brand of carrier shipments in Europe with its 37% share. Samsung came in second with 33% while vivo and Motorola were the faster growers in the segment. Looking ahead, Counterpoint analysts expect the trend of carrier shipments to continue their upward trajectory compared to retailers.
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