Samsung saw its market share grow last quarter for the first time in 2015, as Android continues to dominate the market worldwide. Google’s platform also saw growth throughout Europe’s “big five” markets, while Apple’s fell for the first time in over a year.

Android’s market share has been declining in Europe’s top five markets — that’s Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain — since October 2014. But last quarter, it actually returned to growth with a 1.6 percent increase in percentage points year-over-year.

“In Great Britain, Android’s decline considerably decelerated in the three months ending in October 2015, thanks to stronger performance by Samsung and LG,” said Dominic Sunnebo, business unit director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Europe.

In contrast, Apple’s iOS platform saw its share fall slightly in the same region — and in the U.S., where its share fell to 33.6 percent from 41.5 percent in October 2014. However, iPhone sales did increase quarter-over-quarter, and iPhone 6s became the the third best-selling phone.

“Samsung retained its leading position in the U.S. smartphone market and, for the first time in 2015, the South Korean brand was able to show year-on-year growth,” reported Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

iOS did experience healthy growth in China and Japan, where its share grew 7 percent and 3.5 percent respectively versus the same quarter last year. Android’s share in China now sits at 74.2 percent — down from 82.9 percent last year.

Samsung will likely see its share increase again next quarter; as the holiday season fast-approaches, 14 percent of smartphone owners in the EU plan to upgrade their device, Kantar says, and 38 percent of them said they would prefer a Samsung, while only 25 percent want an iPhone.

• SourceKantar Worldpanel ComTech