Pixel 6 series helps Google to reach UK sales top 5 for first time in Q1 2022 w/ 3.3% market share

Damien Wilde | May 18 2022 - 7:57 am PT

The recent Pixel 6 and 6 Pro sales success has helped Google break into the UK smartphones sales top five for the first time in Q1 2022.

According to a report from Francisco Jeronimo, associate vice president at analysis firm IDC, Google has broken into the top sales charts for the first time in the UK after shipping approximately 164,000 units throughout Q1 2022. This tracked data still puts Apple and Samsung at the very top of the charts with 2.4 million and 1.6 million devices shipped during the same period respectively.

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Despite fairly small sales figures in the UK compared to the two biggest global smartphone OEMs, as one of the key European markets, Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro sales have made a significant difference to the overall charts. HMD Global shipped 210,000 units during the same period to take third place in the Q1 2022 sales standings, while Oppo shipped 205,000 units to take fourth place.

[Updated 05/30]: Updated data to reflect changes based upon IDC report on Q1 2021 sales figures.

Without the Pixel 5a to bolster the low-end and the discontinuation of the Pixel 4a, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro have helped Google to grow UK sales significantly from 80,000 units in Q1 2021 by over 110% to 163,000 units in Q1 2022. Given the lukewarm reception to the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G in late-2020 and the increased marketing blitz in the region, there appears to have been some level of return for Google’s investment in the UK market.

Holding just 3.3% UK smartphone market share also showcases just how much of an uphill struggle the Pixel series faces in competing directly with the iPhone and Galaxy series smartphones. However, it’s worth noting that brands like OnePlus and Xiaomi often touted as alternatives to the iPhone and Samsung flagships have failed to make the top five sales charts in the region.

Despite what amounts to small sales figures, the Pixel 6 series has certainly made inroads into the UK market that rival brands haven’t been able to do throughout Q1 2022. This is likely due to a combination of excellent pre-order bonuses such as free Bose headphones and an extremely competitive pricing model at online and retail stores.