iPhone 16e Ranks Among Top 10 Best-Selling Smartphones in Europe Despite Strong Competition from Samsung and High Starting Price

In early 2025, Apple transitioned from providing budget smartphone options to launching the mid-tier iPhone 16e. This model, packed with numerous enhancements, also comes with some compromises that might deter potential buyers. Despite these drawbacks, the iPhone 16e has made an impressive debut in Europe, ranking as the ninth best-selling smartphone in March 2025, contributing 2% to total device sales for the month. However, its initial performance trails behind that of the 2022 and 2020 iPhone SE models, primarily due to its elevated price point.

Strong Competition from Apple and Rivals

The market landscape for smartphones has been significantly shaped by Apple’s other offerings, particularly the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. According to Counterpoint Research, these models took the top two spots as the best-selling smartphones in Europe for March 2025, capturing 6% and 5% of the market share, respectively. Additionally, the base iPhone 16 secured third place with 5% of total sales. Notably, the base model was recently recognized as the best-selling global smartphone in Q1 2025.

Samsung is intensifying the competition, with its flagship models, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S25, each capturing a 3% market share in March 2025. Remarkably, last year’s Galaxy S24 continues to show resilience in sales. Samsung’s success is further complemented by its popular mid-tier devices like the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A16 5G, indicating a strong demand for both premium and budget-friendly smartphones in the European market, provided they are reasonably priced.

Critics have voiced concerns regarding the price of the iPhone 16e. Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, pointed out that the higher price compared to prior iPhone SE models has inhibited the device’s appeal in Europe.

“The relatively high price of the iPhone 16e compared to previous iPhone SE devices has limited sales in Europe. At €699 ($599), the 16e is a significant jump from the €519 ($429) launch price of the iPhone SE 2022 and €479 ($399) for the iPhone SE 2020, which has reduced its appeal in this challenging economic climate. Also, some places are offering the iPhone 15 for the same price as the iPhone 16e, so many consumers are opting for arguably the better-specced, albeit nearly two-year-old, device. As such, the iPhone 15 also featured in Europe’s top-10 list for April.”

Another noteworthy aspect of the iPhone 16e is its introduction of Apple’s proprietary C1 5G modem, signaling the company’s intention to gradually decrease its reliance on Qualcomm for critical components. Previous estimates from Counterpoint Research indicated that around 40% of the iPhone 16e’s parts are sourced from Apple, with the C1 chip helping the company save approximately $10 per unit.

While these savings might seem modest at first glance, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities predicts that the iPhone 16e will achieve around 22 million shipments in 2025, which could lead to total cost savings of $220 million for Apple. Nonetheless, the model’s price point remains relatively high, which may hinder its attractiveness among European consumers.

Source & Images