Android returns to growth in EU5 markets

Thanks to a strong performance in Italy, Spain, and France, Android showed year-over-year growth

The latest smartphone sales data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech for the three months ending in October 2015 shows Android returning to growth in Europe’s big five markets (“EU5”), after a decline that began in October 2014. Meanwhile, iOS registered a small decline in the EU5 for the three months ending in October 2015, the first such decline since the three-month period ending in August 2014.

Europe’s big five markets (“EU5”) include Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

“In Europe’s big five markets, thanks to a strong performance in Italy, Spain, and France, Android showed year-over-year growth, but that OS success did not produce a clear vendor win, as different names showed strength in different countries: Huawei in Italy and Spain, and Samsung in France,” reported Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. “The decline in iOS was marginal, and primarily driven by a deceleration of growth in Great Britain and Germany. Sales of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus already represented close to a third of iOS sales in Europe’s big five markets.”

“In Great Britain, Android’s decline considerably decelerated in the three months ending in October 2015, thanks to stronger performance by Samsung and LG,” said Dominic Sunnebo, business unit director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Europe. “iOS grew share both year-over-year and quarter-over–quarter, although at a more modest pace than in previous quarters.”

“With 33.6% of the U.S. smartphone market, Apple’s share remained down year-over-year, but up quarter-over-quarter, as iPhone 6s became the third best-selling smartphone, “Milanesi added. “Samsung retained its leading position in the U.S. smartphone market and, for the first time in 2015, the South Korean brand was able to show year-on-year growth.”

“In urban China, sales of the iPhone 6s accelerated in October, placing it in a tie with the iPhone 6 Plus as the second best-selling smartphone. Urban China remained Apple’s stronghold, as it closed some of the gap with market leader Huawei, growing its share to 22.9% regaining second place,” commented Tamsin Timpson, strategic insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Asia. “In the Android camp, Huawei now has almost an 8 percentage points advantage over Xiaomi, and Meizu is now in fourth place, with a market share of 11%.”

“As the holiday season approaches, it appears smartphone upgrades are on Santa’s list, with 14% of EU5 smartphone owners planning to replace their current device with a new one in the next three months,” Milanesi said. “Among those consumers, 25% said they prefer Apple, while 38% said they prefer Samsung. Among Apple owners in the EU5 planning to upgrade over the next three months, 79% said they prefer Apple, while 62% of Samsung owners planning to upgrade say they prefer Samsung.”