Emir BardakçıThe Russian Satellite News Agency, citing a report from December 31, claimed Xiaomi was the most popular mobile phone brand in Russia in the period from January to October 2024. According to analysts at Russian mobile operator MTS, it accounted for 21% of all smartphone sales and has been the leader in this segment so far.
Xiaomi accounted for 26%, while Tecno captured 16%, Samsung held 12%, realme took 11%, and Infinix and Apple each had 9%. These figures underpin the growing dominance of Chinese smartphone brands in the Russian market.
Apple Leads in Revenue Despite
Xiaomi’s Volume Dominance Meanwhile, at a value level, Apple iPhones were leading with an impressive 32% market share in the sales value: from January to October, 2.4 million iPhone units had already been sold cumulatively in Russia.
This represents an 8% year-on-year growth in units sold and a 10% increase in sales revenue, reflecting the premium appeal of Apple products despite their lower market share in terms of volumes.
Other Chinese Brands Show Strong Growth
Chinese brands, such as Huawei, Tecno, and Infinix, also showed just as notable sales increases within the Russian market. Several analysts from M.Video-Eldorado, Russia’s largest home appliance retail group, are saying this trend has gained even more steam with the emergence of those brands:
- Huawei: sales volume rose by 39% and revenues increased by 20% compared with a year earlier.
- Tecno: Sales volume grew by 21%, while revenues increased by 30%.
- Infinix: It managed to witness a 7% growth of sales volume and registered a 20% upside in revenue.
The Russian smartphone market in 2024 is well characterized by the leading positions of Chinese players: Xiaomi is the leader in unit sales, while Apple is leading in revenue. Meanwhile, Huawei, Tecno, and Infinix continue to expand their foothold, an indication of the rising power of Chinese players in the global tech landscape.
Sanctions it’s working !