Apple overtook Samsung and became the share leader of the European operator channel in the second quarter (Q2) of 2026, according to new data from Counterpoint Research.
The European operator channel refers to the telecommunications sales route where smartphones and devices are sold directly to consumers through mobile network operators (such as Vodafone, Orange, or Deutsche Telekom). Devices sold through this channel are generally more premium and expensive than those on the open retail market because they are tied to monthly carrier plans tpically bundled with service contracts
Meanwhile, Motorola and vivo grew the fastest year-over-year (YoY). This was a change from Q2 2025 when Google and HONOR were the fastest growing OEMs through the operator channel.
“Smartphone sales through operators in Europe are typically more high-end than through the open market, as more are purchased on a contract,” Counterpoint Associate Director Jan Stryjak said. “They are also more skewed towards more premium brands like Apple, Samsung, and Google. The collapse of the low-end of the smartphone market so far in 2026 because of the memory price crisis has therefore benefitted the operator channel, which has declined comparatively less than the open market.”
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