In the third quarter of 2023, Russia saw a notable rise in the sales of smartphones priced above 80 thousand rubles, with about 400 thousand units sold. This marked a 2.8-fold increase from the same period a year earlier. The market data, shared by MTS through its press service, also shows that the value of expensive smartphones tripled, reaching 46 billion rubles.
The growth in the premium segment was driven mainly by Apple and Samsung. During the quarter, the monetary share of the American brands rose by 5 percentage points to 29 percent of the total smartphone market. Xiaomi claimed the second place in terms of market share by value at 22 percent, while Samsung stood at 17 percent, delivering positive quarterly momentum for the first time since 2022. When measured by units, Xiaomi led with 32 percent, followed by TECNO and Infinix with 15 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
Sales in the mid-range segment, priced from 30 to 40 thousand rubles, also grew, though at a slower pace and by about twofold.
Overall, MTS noted that the Russian smartphone market posted growth for a second consecutive quarter. From July to September, approximately 8.1 million smartphones were sold in Russia, totaling around 181 billion rubles. This represented a 44 percent increase in units and a 66 percent rise in revenue compared with the same period in 2022.
Earlier, developers of R-FON denied allegations of copying another smartphone, confirming ongoing competitive dynamics within the market.