Russian-made smartphones are struggling to compete with Chinese imports, resulting in a significant drop in sales, according to a report by Vedomosti. The report indicates that the number of Russian-made smartphones sold in the first quarter of 2023 is less than half of last year’s figures. Specifically, only 46,900 Russian-made smartphones were sold in Q1 2023 compared to 99,300 in the same period in 2022. This marks a drop in market share from 1% to 0.5%.
BQ was the most popular Russian smartphone brand in Q1 2023, with 32,800 units sold. However, experts forecast that demand for domestic smartphones will remain low, hovering around 200,000 devices in 2023, due to outdated technical features. Russian-made smartphones simply cannot compete with Chinese brands, which have flooded the market and made significant gains since major Western brands pulled back in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
Overall, 2022 smartphone sales in Russia dropped for the first time since 2015 to 24.5 million units. This decline is attributed to the dominance of Chinese smartphones in the market. To improve demand, experts suggest that Russian smartphone brands either enter the mid-price segment while improving technical characteristics and quality, or close the Russian market to foreign players.
In conclusion, Russian smartphone sales have suffered a significant decline due to stiff competition from Chinese imports. The dominance of Chinese brands in the market, coupled with outdated technical features of Russian-made smartphones, have resulted in a drop in market share and overall sales figures. Experts suggest that Russian brands either improve their products or close the market to foreign players to improve demand.
