After months of EU regulators breathing down its neck, Apple is finally seeing a happier kind of headline from across the Atlantic.
And it comes courtesy of the new iPhone 16e.
Per the report, the iPhone 16e debuted in ninth place overall in March 2025, accounting for 8% of Apple’s regional iPhone sales and 2% of the broader smartphone market.
Compared to the iPhone SE 2022 and especially the SE 2020, the 16e’s debut looks a tad muted.
At €699 (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.
Apple has finally seen a more positive headline from the other side of the Atlantic after months of EU regulators breathing down its neck. And the new iPhone 16e is the reason for it.
In its first full month of availability, the newest member of the iPhone 16 family ranked among the top 10 smartphones in Europe, according to a report released today.
According to the report, the iPhone 16e made its debut in March 2025 in ninth place overall, making up 8% of Apple’s regional iPhone sales and 2% of the overall smartphone market. It performed marginally better, finishing in seventh place in Western Europe.
There’s bad news now.
This indicates that the iPhone 16e is being widely adopted by consumers, but it also falls short of the performance level that Apple has previously observed from its mid-tier iPhones.
The 16e’s launch appears somewhat subdued in comparison to the iPhone SE 2022 and particularly the SE 2020. Sales decreased by 17 and 20 percent, respectively, from the launch months of those previous models.
Both SE generations also performed better on the continent’s bestseller list, placing third for the 2020 model and sixth for the 2022 SE, respectively, and commanding a larger share of Apple’s sales in their first 30 days (12 and 19 percent).
For what reason is that?
Jan Stryjak of Counterpoint claims that the primary problem—as you may have already surmised—was cost.
Sales of the iPhone 16e in Europe have been hindered by its comparatively high price in comparison to earlier iPhone SE models. Its launch prices of €699 (429) for the iPhone SE 2022 and €479 ($399) for the iPhone SE 2020 have diminished its allure in this difficult economic environment. Additionally, some retailers are selling the iPhone 15 for the same price as the iPhone 16e, which is why many buyers are choosing the arguably better-specified—albeit almost two-year-old—device. The iPhone 15 was therefore included in the top 10 list for April in Europe. “.”.
The 16e has established itself on the leaderboard despite performing comparatively worse than its spiritual predecessors. And even a small victory is worth a headline in a season when the majority of Apple’s European headlines center on lawsuits, regulators, and generally negative sentiments.
