The European smartphone market has witnessed a huge 12% decline in shipments in the first quarter of 2022, as per a report. This is said to be the the lowest first quarter shipments for nearly a decade. Ongoing component shortages and COVID-19 related lockdowns in China are the main culprits here. Samsung remained as the region’s top OEM, with its highest market share since Q3 2020.

A report by Counterpoint research says that European smartphone shipments reached 49 million units in the first quarter of 2022, marking a 12% percent year-on-year (YoY) decline. This is the lowest first quarter total since Q1 2013.

Several factors such as component shortages, COVID-19 related lockdowns in China, deteriorating economic conditions and the ongoing of the Russo-Ukraine war are responsible for the decline. The report says Europe will witness more such drops in future due to the “Deteriorating macro and geopolitical environment”.

Samsung remained the largest contributor to smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2022 with shipment share of 35 percent, the report states. Apple took the second spot with a shipment share of 25 percent. The Cupertino company saw a year-on-year decline of 6 percent.

Xiaomi ended up in the third spot in terms of smartphone shipments in Europe. The company recorded a 36 percent annual decline with a 19 percent market share.

Oppo and Realme captured the fourth and fifth spots in the European smartphone shipments market with 6 percent and 4 percent shipment share, respectively. Realme became the only OEM to register annual shipment growth in Q1 2022.

“Existing issues such as COVID-19 and component shortages have been exacerbated by new economic and geopolitical challenges,” said Counterpoint Research’s Associate Director, Jan Stryjak. “Rising inflation levels across the region are impacting consumer spending, while Samsung and Apple, Russia’s first and third ranked smartphone vendors, halted all shipments into Europe’s largest market in early March 2022,” Stryjak added.

Related:

• Worldwide Tablet and Chromebook shipments decreased significantly in Q1 of 2022: IDC
• Samsung dethrones Xiaomi to become smartphone market leader in India: Counterpoint Research
• Counterpoint reports a 4.3% YoY decline in Global PC shipments in Q1 2022

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