European iPhone shipments grow despite overall decline in smartphone market

Apple managed to grow iPhone shipments in the European market as the region's broader smartphone industry took a dive in the second quarter of 2022.

Amid a deteriorating macroeconomic climate and geopolitical uncertainty, the European smartphone market declined 11% year-over-year in Q2 2022, according to new data by Counterpoint Research published Tuesday.

Notably, both Apple and Samsung actually grew their overall shipments and market share by 3% and 5%, respectively, during the decline.

Samsung remained the top smartphone maker in Europe in the second quarter with 32% of the market. Apple came in second during the fiscal period with 24% of the market.

European smartphone market data via Counterpoint

Counterpoint Research attributes Apple's growth to the third-generation iPhone SE, though other data suggests that higher-tier iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models are selling unusually well in 2022 — at least in the U.S.

"[The] situation in Europe unfortunately remains bleak. Many countries in Europe are slipping closer to recession, and domestic political tensions in numerous countries beyond Russia and Ukraine are rising, for example in France, Germany and the UK," said Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint. "We remain hopeful, though, that the bottom has been reached and the trajectory should turn upwards soon, but the recovery will likely be long and slow."

Smartphone shipments in Q2 2022 versus Q2 2021. Credit: Counterpoint Research

Other reports have suggested that Apple's devices are continuing to see shipment growth amid falling smartphone sales. Back in April, Canalys reported that Apple was the only smartphone vendor to see shipments rise in the first quarter of 2022.