Google Pixel phones popularity quietly growing in Europe

As of today, the ‘Google Pixel’ brand is well established in the tech segment, even expanding its horizons beyond smartphones. The mountain view giant has established its position in the tech community, not only with its solid phones but also with buds, tablets, and watches. Together with all those, Google did well with its novelty series, the iconic Google Pixel Fold.

Returning to the Pixel phones, these remain a ‘niche’ option, without occupying a majority share in the market yet. However, the situation could change in the future, as their popularity has been growing lately in Europe.

At first, Google Pixel phones were only available in the US, a logical move to see if there was a space for them in the market. Later, with the launch of new generations, they began expanding their reach to other parts of the globe, including Europe.

In recent years, the availability of Google Pixel phones in European countries has expanded more than ever. We even recently covered how the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro series arrived in India and 4 key European markets. This development suggests that interest in these products on the old continent is growing among fans.

Even people in Europe have posted on platforms like Reddit that they see more and more people with a Pixel phone on the street, something that was not so common before. Some assume the trend started just after the launch of the Pixel 6 series.

Now, thanks to recent market studies, it is confirmed that the brand has been experiencing constant growth in Europe, at least in the last year.

According to Kantar analysts, Google Pixel phones took third place as Android manufacturer in Europe during the second half of the calendar year (2023). In addition, the company obtained a +3% increase in sales compared to the same period last year.

This is a great merit for a brand that can still be considered ‘niche’ in the industry, especially in times when smartphone sales have been declining, as Kantar also confirms. For example, during the Q2 2023 period, Samsung Galaxy smartphones (typically mass-market) experienced -7% sales compared to the same period last year.

If we check the Q4 2022 period, we will find record sales figures for Pixel phones in territories such as the UK. According to Kantar, during this period, 18% of smartphones sold in Britain were a Pixel. Investment in better devices from the more affordable ‘Pixel a’ series, in addition to good trade-in deals, were key to this.

That said, there is still a long way to go for Pixel phones to reach the top of the main mobile phones used in Europe. A Statista study revealed the estimated market share of Google mobile devices (July 2022-June 2023) in key countries, including some European:

Also, here’s the smartphone market share in Western Europe according to a Canalys study (data analyzed until May 2023).

Although it seems that there is still a long way to go to see the Google Pixel brand among the top 5 worldwide, its increasing but constant growth in popularity in Europe seems to soon make them stop being ‘niche’. Google itself seems to be making an effort in this with moves such as the collaboration with Odeon cinemas and partnering with football teams in the UK, among others.