The European smartphone market declined by 2% in Q1 2025, according to research from Canalys, now part of Omdia. This decrease was driven by sluggish mass-market demand and an inventory correction following overestimated end-user demand in late 2024. Entry-level smartphones under € 200 saw their lowest quarterly shipment volume in over a decade. Vendors dependent on this segment, such as Xiaomi and Motorola, faced the greatest headwinds. What will the impact of 32.4 million new smartphones sold do, to the availability devices for the European secondary mobile market?
Samsung leads with premium growth
Samsung shipped 12.2 million units, maintaining its position as Europe’s top smartphone vendor. The brand recorded its highest-ever quarterly premium shipment volume and its highest average sales price (ASP) in Europe. A 12% year-on-year increase in Galaxy S-series shipments was driven by strong trade-in programs, bundles, and targeted promotions. The recently launched Galaxy Club, guaranteeing 50% trade-in value after 12 to 15 months, is expected to shorten upgrade cycles among loyal users.
Apple iPhone sees 10% growth
Apple secured second place in Q1 2025, growing Apple iPhone shipments by 10% to 8.0 million units. This growth came despite entering the quarter with excess legacy inventory due to the USB-C directive discontinuing the iPhone 13 and 14 in December 2024. Strong consumer and enterprise demand for newer models, especially the iPhone 16e, drove performance.
Xiaomi remains resilient in third place and Motorola and Google round out the top five
Xiaomi’s shipments dipped slightly by 2% to 5.3 million units. Despite challenging conditions, Q1 2025 marked the brand’s twentieth consecutive quarter among Europe’s top three vendors. Motorola shipped 1.7 million units, down 19% year-on-year, while Google entered the top five for the first time with 0.9 million units shipped.
Premium demand hits record high
Devices priced above € 800 accounted for a record-high 32% of shipments. This premium surge is largely credited to Apple and Samsung’s trade-in-led strategies. Consumers are increasingly upgrading devices sooner, with trade-in guarantees encouraging earlier purchases and driving value across the channel.
Impact trade-in
According to Counterpoint research, the trade-in attach rate in Europe currently stands at 15%. This means that for every 100 new smartphones sold in Q1 2025, an estimated 15 were traded in. Using this data, SecondaryMarket.news estimates that around 5 million used devices were traded in across Europe during the first quarter. If this trend continues at a steady pace, the total number of traded-in devices could reach 20 million by the end of 2025. However, the fourth quarter typically sees higher sales volumes, and not all traded-in smartphones are eligible for resale. A significant portion of these devices are only suitable for recycling due to damage, age, or limited refurbishment potential. Moreover, while this analysis assumes a uniform trade-in rate across all brands, in reality, trade-in behavior varies between vendors and models. Therefore, these figures should be interpreted as indicative estimates, offering rough guidance on potential volumes in Europe’s growing secondary smartphone market.
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