Slumping budget phone shipments in Europe actually benefited carriers in Q2

Back in August, Counterpoint Research estimated a total of 35 million smartphone shipments in Europe during the April – June period (Q2). We now get a more detailed breakdown of the shipment figures and their share between retailers and carriers. While shipments by open market (retailers) saw a slump of 11% compared to Q2 2025, the operator channel (carriers) only experienced a 4% decrease for the same period. Europe Smartphone Sales Share by Channel (Counterpoint Research Europe Channel Share Tracker) As Counterpoint analysts explain, carriers usually move higher-end devices compared...