Svyaznoy: Russia’s Oct–Nov smartphone sales fall 6% to 45 bln rbl

MOSCOW, Dec 22 (PRIME) -- Smartphone sales in Russia decreased 5.6% on the year to 45 billion rubles in October–November, handset retailer Svyaznoy said in a statement Tuesday.

In natural terms, sales slipped 8% on the year to 4.5 million units.

Apple’s smartphones were bestsellers with a 36% share of the market in monetary terms. “It’s a record in 2015 among all brands exposed to the Russian smartphone market. A maximum share within a month, occupied by Apple’s closest rival, during 2015 was 27%,” the retailer said.

Samsung occupied in October the second rank with 22% and was followed by Lenovo with 10%. In November, Apple’s market share was at 32%, Samsung 22%, and Lenovo 11%.

Svyaznoy attributed Apple’s popularity to the presence of devices not only in the flagship segment, but also in the high and middle price segments. “For example, the iPhone 4s model was in high demand on the market in January–June with a price tag of less than 20,000 rubles. In the price range of 25,000–35,000 rubles there was the iPhone 5s, which is a flagship device offered at a more attractive price as compared to the top devices of a number of brands,” Svyaznoy said.

In July–November, sales of the restored iPhone 5s were welcomed in regions, where solvent demand is much lower than in Moscow. The model led sales in monetary terms in June and was among the bestsellers in natural terms. Despite the popularity of the iPhone 6s, sales of previous models, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, did not fade.

“We expect Apple to continue leading in the smartphone segment as of the end of December. People traditionally choose more flagship devices in the pre-New Year time,” Svyaznoy’s President Michael Tuch said.

(71.2553 rubles – U.S. $1)

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