The consumer electronics market in March 2026 was dominated by aggressive sales campaigns from leading manufacturers. Upcoming launches of the iPhone 17e and Samsung Galaxy S26 series have forced distributors to drastically reduce prices of older models. Discounts reaching 44 percent have affected not only smartphones but also iPad tablets and accessories, including AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds4, suggesting a deep restructuring of the tech giants' product portfolios.
Drastic iPhone Price Cuts
Prices for iPhone 15 models have fallen below the 360-700 euro range at select distributors, a reaction to the start of pre-orders for the budget 17e model.
Samsung Selling Off S25 Series
Ahead of the upcoming Galaxy S26 launch, prices for the S25 model have dropped by 44 percent, with older models available from as low as 120 euros.
War in the TWS Headphone Market
Simultaneous promotions on AirPods Pro 3 and the launch of Galaxy Buds4 have triggered an aggressive price war in the premium audio segment.
Offensive by Chinese Brands
Xiaomi and HUAWEI are cutting prices of their flagships by up to 200-800 euros, trying to capture customers during the hot shopping period.
March 2026 will go down in electronics retail history as a period of exceptionally aggressive price corrections. The main driver of these changes is the imminent market presence of new flagship devices, including the budget iPhone 17e and the flagship Samsung Galaxy S26 series. French and German distributors, such as Cdiscount, Boulanger, and Freenet, have begun massive warehouse clearance, offering Apple and Samsung devices at prices not seen since their launch. For example, the iPhone 15 is now available for less than 360 euros from select suppliers, representing an unprecedented value drop for a one-year-old device from this brand. Simultaneously, the audio accessories segment has become an arena for direct competition between the new Galaxy Buds4 Pro and AirPods Pro 3. Analysts note that Apple's promotional headphone prices aim to maintain market share ahead of the forecasted dominance of Samsung's new solutions, which, according to initial reviews, may win on sound quality. The price race is not limited to the premium segment; brands like Xiaomi, POCO, and HUAWEI have also joined, offering models such as the nova 14 Pro or Xiaomi 17 Ultra with discounts exceeding 200 euros, indicating a massive oversupply of equipment in the European market. The smartphone sector has shown cyclicality related to spring launches for years, but the current scale of the sell-off resembles the situation in 2011 when the rapid expansion of operating systems forced manufacturers to quickly replace hardware generations.It's worth noting the unusual form of 'preorder' offers for the iPhone 17e. Although the device is just entering the market, some operators are offering it in bundles with a contract for as little as 50 euros, aiming to quickly lock customers into long-term contracts. This phenomenon also applies to tablets, where the Carrefour network has opted for deep destocking of iPads. Experts predict this wave of promotions will last only until the official debut of the S26 series, after which prices of older models may paradoxically rise due to stock depletion among official distributors.