Smartphone shipments to Europe are declining – Apple is growing thanks to the iPhone SE

In the second quarter of 2022, smartphone shipments in Europe were down 11% year-over-year, but Apple managed to increase shipments and market share, mainly thanks to the 5G-enabled iPhone SE.

Data taken from Counterpoint Research; What’s interesting about this report is that while the iPhone SE was poorly received in the US, it now looks like Apple can thank this affordable 5G iPhone – at least in Europe.

While it still doesn’t look like the iPhone SE’s 5G will be able to turn a billion Android users into switches, it helped the Cupertino-based company grow 3% compared to the second quarter of 2021. The share of deliveries also increased from 21% to 24% year on year.

The study shows that the European smartphone market shrank by 11% year on year and 13% qoq to 40 million units in the 2022 quarter, the lowest quarterly figure since Q2 2020, but both Samsung and Apple managed to increase shipments and market share year on year. They also declined qoq due to exit from the Russian market.

“Results in the second quarter of 2022 were mixed and year-over-year comparisons mask complex market dynamics. A lot has changed in Europe compared to last year and even last quarter, both from an industry and macroeconomic point of view,” said Ian Strijak, Associate Director of Counterpoint Research.

Strayak believes that the situation in Europe will remain bleak until the end of the year. “Many countries in Europe are heading into recession, and domestic political tensions are on the rise in many countries other than Russia and Ukraine.”

iPhone SE with 5G support was launched in March. Available from $429, the “classic design” 4.7-inch phone has an A15 Bionic chip, a 12-megapixel main camera with Deep Fusion technology, Smart HDR 4, and iP67 water resistance certification.

You can read Counterpoint’s full report here.

How do you feel about the 5G iPhone SE? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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