In 2023, Russian smartphone sales reached about 30.7 million units, marking a year-over-year increase of 26%. The stat was shared with socialbites.ca by MTS’s press service. A monetary view shows the market generating roughly 681 billion rubles by year end, up 22% from 2022. MTS described 2023 as one of the strongest years for smartphone sales in the past five, with 2019 standing as the only better recent benchmark, when roughly 30.8 million units moved and sales amounted to 728 billion rubles.
The average selling price of smartphones declined by about 3% year over year, a shift driven by robust growth in the sub-10,000-ruble segment. This tier now accounts for about 37% of all units sold. Analysts also noted a notable expansion in the 30,000 to 40,000 ruble range, and a persistent share of devices priced above 80,000 rubles, which accounted for around 5% of the market.
Chinese brands continued to broaden their footprint in Russia, strengthening both unit and revenue shares. By the end of 2023, their combined presence reached 81% in units and 50% in revenue, with gains of roughly 10 percentage points in units and 5 percentage points in money compared with the prior year. This signals a continued shift toward Asian manufacturers in a market historically dominated by global players.
The top five brands by sales in the Russian Federation for the year were Xiaomi with about 30% share, Tecno at 14%, and Samsung and Realme tied at 11% each, followed by Infinix at 10% and Apple at 8%. In terms of revenue, Apple led with roughly 32%, Xiaomi at 20%, Samsung and Tecno each at 7%, and Realme at 6%. These rankings highlight how consumer preferences and pricing power evolved during 2023 across both budget and premium segments. [Source: MTS press service]
Industry insiders suggest that upcoming Samsung devices designed to offer longer battery life could influence the affordability dynamic and perceived value in the midrange category. Market observers will likely keep an eye on how new models affect consumer choices and price sensitivity as the year unfolds. [Source: MTS press service]