Apple Passes Samsung Phones in European Operator Sales

Component Costs Squeeze the Low End

The split between store shelves and carrier shops comes down to soaring memory prices. Counterpoint points to rising component costs as the primary pressure point crushing cheaper hardware across the continent. When memory costs climb, low-margin devices struggle to absorb the difference without pricing themselves out of reach.

Carriers operate differently. Operators in Europe concentrate on contract plans that spread the cost of a device over two or three years. Because consumers pay monthly, carrier channels naturally tilt toward higher-priced hardware. Apple thrives in that environment, whereas Samsung's broader catalog leaves it exposed when demand for entry-level and mid-range devices dries up.

Jan Stryjak, associate director at Counterpoint Research, noted that Europe's operator sales lean heavily toward premium tier labels such as Apple, Samsung, and Google. Stryjak explained that the collapse of budget models caused by the memory crisis has shielded carrier storefronts, helping them weather the slump far better than independent open-market retail.

Shifting Operator Portfolios

Apple was not the only brand gaining ground with European networks. Chinese manufacturer vivo posted a 90 percent year-over-year leap in operator sales, the largest percentage increase among major vendors. Motorola also expanded its carrier footprint, growing 27 percent compared to the second quarter of 2025 through targeted placements with key networks.

Those gains suggest networks are actively hunting for alternatives to diversify their post-paid portfolios while maintaining margins.

Counterpoint expects telecom operators to maintain their edge over general retail for the next few quarters while the memory crunch persists. Independent shops will likely rely on aggressive discounts and promotional spending to counter higher price tags, but for now, Europe's contract buyers are leaning firmly toward Apple.