Germany Smartphones Market Analysis
The Germany Smartphones market, valued nearly €13 billion in 2025, is experiencing a slight decline due to economic uncertainty, global tariffs, and longer replacement cycles.
Historically, the Smartphone market has shown consistent growth, with younger generations, particularly Gen Z, increasingly willing to pay for premium devices. While replacement cycles are lengthening, the trend towards higher-priced smartphones continues, particularly in the €550+ range. The Smartphones Market Report forecasts modest growth of over 2% annually in the foreseeable future, driven by financial recovery, the rise in consumer willingness to invest in smartphones, and the demand for long-lasting devices, AI features, and foldable designs.
Germany Smartphones Market Trends
Smartphone Market Trends reveal a growing preference for longevity and value, with many consumers prioritising long-lasting devices over cutting-edge features. Gen Z is increasingly willing to pay premium prices, especially for devices featuring AI and ecosystem benefits, while concerns about security and device durability are shaping purchasing decisions. Smartphone ownership cycles are lengthening, particularly among younger consumers, as financial caution and risk aversion continue to influence buying behaviour. Additionally, there is a rising interest in foldable smartphones, with younger generations viewing them as status symbols, and a growing emphasis on battery life, camera quality, and brand loyalty across all age groups.
Purchasing the Germany Smartphones Market Report 2025 shows a shift towards premium, durable devices with a focus on longevity, security, and AI features. Smartphone market drivers as Gen Z is willing to invest in higher-priced smartphones, especially foldables. Consumers seek value through long-lasting, secure, and eco-friendly devices, driving brands towards innovation and sustainability in the Germany Smartphone Market.
About The Report
This report provides valuable insights into the Germany Smartphones Market for 2025, including consumer behaviour trends, purchasing patterns, and the impact of economic conditions on smartphone adoption. It covers key areas such as brand preferences, willingness to pay, feature prioritization (like AI, battery life, and foldable designs), and consumer demand for longevity and sustainability. The research also explores generational shifts in smartphone usage, market forecasts, and smartphone market trends, innovations, particularly in AI and eco-friendly devices. This report will benefit smartphone manufacturers, marketers, retailers, and investors by offering a comprehensive understanding of Germany Smartphones Market dynamics, consumer preferences, and growth opportunities..
Key Topics Analyzed in the Report
- Smartphone brands owned by German consumers, and how long they have owned their smartphones
- What consumers are willing to pay for smartphones
- Prioritised smartphone features and top smartphone use cases
- Attitudes and behaviours regarding smartphones, including interest in foldable and refurbished smartphones
- The market size of the smartphone market, including a forecast over the next five years
| Report Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Published Date | June 2025 |
| Data Range | 2016-2030 |
| Measurement Metrics | Revenue in € |
| Country Focus | Germany |
| Consumer Data | 1,905 internet users aged 16+, April 2025 |
| Number of Pages | 67 |
| Market Segmentation | Smartphones, Foldable Devices, AI-Enhanced Smartphones, Entry-to-Mid-Range Smartphones, Premium Smartphones, and Eco-Friendly Devices |
| Leading Companies | Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, Huawei, Google, Oppo, Sony, Motorola, Nokia, and OnePlus |
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Jan Urbanek. Jan joined Mintel in 2020, writing about consumer and market trends in the German consumer technology sector. During his studies, he gained practical experience in quantitative and qualitative market research and in the marketing of electric vehicles. Jan holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration & Economics from TU Dortmund University.
Deeply personalised AI assistance can unlock Gen Z’s rising willingness to pay, while longevity-focused messaging is key to upselling the broader, risk-averse German market.
Jan Urbanek
Principal Analyst
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Market size & forecast
- Outlook
-
OPPORTUNITIES
- Turn consumer caution into upgrades
- Capitalise on the risk aversion of German consumers
- Graph 1: any agreement (NET) with “I enjoy taking risks”, 2025
- Leverage longevity claims to upsell German consumers
- Demonstrate holistic longevity
- Use safety claims to enhance the appeal of smartphone innovations
- Unlock flagship purchases among Gen Z
- Tap into the increasing willingness to pay among Gen Z…
- …by tailoring AI assistance to Gen Z preferences
- Flagship smartphones as uni assistants for Gen Z
- Drive growth by addressing barrier to switching
- Showcase seamless data porting to target rival smartphone brands
- Offer emotional reassurance to entice switching
-
CONSUMER
- Smartphone brands owned
- Samsung and Apple dominate the German smartphone market
- Graph 2: brand of smartphone owned, 2021-25
- Address barriers to switching to drive growth
- Apple is the favoured smartphone brand for German Gen Z…
- Graph 3: smartphone brand owned, by generation, 2025
- …especially among female Gen Z
- Graph 4: smartphone brand owned by Gen Z, by gender, 2025
- Time with smartphone
- Germans keep their smartphones for longer
- Graph 5: time with smartphone, 2022/25
- Younger Germans show the strongest upgrade potential
- Graph 6: time with smartphone, by age, 2025
- Willingness to pay
- Tap into the growing willingness to pay for smartphones in Germany
- Graph 7: highest amount willing to pay upfront for the next smartphone (NET), 2023/25
- Gen Z are the key target group for flagship models
- Graph 8: highest amount willing to pay for next smartphone upfront, by generation, 2025
- Tap into Gen Z’s increasing willingness to pay
- Compete over entry-to-mid-range buyers by catering to their cautiousness
- Graph 9: smartphone brand owned, by highest willingness to pay for a new smartphone upfront, 2025
- Speak to the quality-consciousness of the flagship target group
- Graph 10: top five words those willing to pay €850+ for their next smartphone use to describe themselves (pp difference to total average), 2025
- Full-time working parents in cities are the key target group for refurbished smartphones
- Position refurbished smartphones as affordable role model solutions for busy parents
- Prioritised smartphone features
- Germans prioritise battery life
- Focus messaging on cameras and battery life
- Graph 11: features prioritised when buying a new smartphone, 2025
- Promote battery life and camera quality to entice switching
- Target women with enhanced experiences, not raw specs
- Speak to the specific preferences of Samsung- and Apple-owning Gen Z
- Graph 12: features prioritised by Gen Z when buying a new smartphone, by smartphone brand owned, 2025
- Top smartphone use cases
- Communication and web browsing remain the most common uses
- Advertise how AI can enhance communication and browsing
- Graph 13: top five smartphone use cases, 2025
- Make Germans feel safe online
- Younger Germans show particular media-driven smartphone use
- Graph 14: top five smartphone use cases, by generation, 2025
- Appeal to Gen Z by advertising multi-media use cases
- Attitudes towards foldables
- Target Gen Z and Millennials with foldable smartphones – and speak to their different mindsets
- Target Gen Z and Millennials with foldable smartphones
- Graph 15: top five words Millennials use to describe themselves, by interest in foldables, 2025
- Graph 16: top five words Gen Z use to describe themselves, by interest in foldables, 2025
- Turn interest in dumb phones into a selling factor for foldables
- Graph 17: 16-34s’ interest in switching from a smartphone to a dumb phone, by interest in foldables, 2025
-
INNOVATION
- Continued innovation in the foldable space
- Continued improvements with foldable smartphones
- Smartphone brands are pushing AI integration
- Challenger brands look to differentiate through hardware
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Advertising spend fell significantly in 2024
- Graph 18: total spend on advertising for the smartphones category, 2022-25
- Google committed to growing its market share in Germany
- Graph 19: Advertising spend on the smartphones category, by advertiser share, 2022-25
- TV advertising dominates spend
- Graph 20: smartphone ad spend by format, 2024
- Google advertises Gemini Live and the design of its Pixel 9 Pro
- Samsung promotes the new Galaxy S24 FE
-
MARKET
- The impact of global tariffs on the German smartphone market
- US tariff announcement on imports shakes up smartphone markets
- Smartphone brands look to diversify their manufacturing capabilities due to tariff threats
- US tariffs may indirectly impact the German smartphone market
- Financial confidence
- Financial confidence remains fragile…
- …but confidence among younger generations offers revenue potential
- Graph 21: financial situation compared to a year or so ago, by age, 2025
- Regulatory and legislative changes
- EU regulations challenge tech brands…
- …by fostering competition in the app space
- Mobile app usage
- WhatsApp keeps the throne with daily app usage in Germany
- Graph 22: top mobile apps used (Average Daily Active Users), Jan-Apr 2025
- ChatGPT dominates growth in daily users
- Graph 23: top apps by absolute growth in average Daily Active Users, Jan-May 2025
- Market size
- The smartphone market continued to decline in 2024…
- Graph 24: smartphone market volume (1,000 pcs), 2016-24
- Graph 25: smartphone market value (€bn), 2016-24
- …but growth trajectory of average smartphone prices offers potential
- Market forecast
- Modest long-term growth for the German smartphone market
- Graph 26: value of the consumer smartphone market, 2019-30
- Volume of the German smartphone market continues to decline
- Graph 27: volume of the smartphone market, 2019-30
- Premiumisation to offset volume decline
-
APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Advision advertising spend data
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- CHAID analysis – methodology
- CHAID analysis – output
- TURF analysis methodology
- TURF analysis output
- A note on language
- Methodology – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market size – volume
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – volume
Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
- Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
- Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
- Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
- Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
- Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
- Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
- Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
£ 2,195 (Excl.Tax)
-
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
-
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
-
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook available on our platform
-
Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports
Discount automatically applied in basket
Get in Touch
If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.
Contact usTrusted by global industry leaders
We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.
They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.
Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.
Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
Get in Touch
If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.
Contact us
