Expert: Feature phone sales jump 250% amid partial mobilization

MOSCOW, Sep 27 (PRIME) -- Sales of feature phones in Russia rocketed 250% on September 21–25 in comparison to the previous week, Mobile Research Group leading analyst Eldar Murtazin told PRIME on Tuesday.

“The demand for feature phones has jumped because of partial mobilization since smartphones are banned for the use there. Feature phones were bought not only by the conscripts. Sales are rather high, they grew by three to three and a half times,” Murtazin said.

Indirect proof of the rise of demand for feature phones is a sagging of sales of electronics almost in every segment, he added.

Mobile operator MegaFon, which runs a retail chain, saw the sales of such devices leap 86% on September 21–25 in comparison to the previous week. Customers preferred brands Texet, Philips, Itel, Nokia, and Vertex.

Electronics retailer Citilink said feature phone sales rose 17% on the year in the reported period.

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