During the third quarter of 2023, Russian smartphone prices from Chinese brands dropped, with Infinix showing the steepest decline. Xiaomi and Realme tended to occupy mid-range positions in this trend, according to a study cited by Avito and reported by TASS.
Lower prices helped Chinese manufacturers gain traction in the Russian market. Infinix saw a remarkable 630% sales surge year over year, Tecno grew by 300%, and Realme rose 71%. In contrast, Apple’s latest iPhones saw only a 20% increase, while Xiaomi experienced a 6% drop in sales.
Avito’s data indicate that the average price for new smartphones from Chinese brands did not exceed 21,000 rubles. Specifically, Infinix, Realme, and Honor offered devices at about 10,300 rubles, 8,300 rubles, and 5,700 rubles respectively, with Xiaomi holding a similar average price level. By comparison, the average price of a new iPhone hovered around 52,500 rubles, and Samsung devices averaged 42,000 rubles.
For budget-conscious buyers, used smartphones from Chinese brands cost roughly half the price of new devices, representing a significant saving opportunity in the market.
A market study by Eldorado and Video, covering nine months of 2023, showed that Chinese manufacturers captured about three-quarters of the Russian smartphone market in terms of units sold. Xiaomi led in overall unit sales, followed by Realme, Tecno, and Samsung, highlighting strong brand presence across price tiers.
Earlier, Apple limited Russian developers by requiring in-app purchases to be enabled, a policy that influenced the broader ecosystem and personalized app monetization in the region.