China's smartphone makers chip away at Samsung, Apple's Russian market share

(Reuters) - China's market share in the Russian smartphone market jumped significantly in May as manufacturers like Apple and Samsung paused new sales in Russia and Western sanctions weighed on the Russian economy.

Chinese manufacturers Xiaomi, Realme and Honor accounted for 42% of Russia's smartphone sales in May 2022, according to data from mobile network MTS shared with Reuters, - up from 28% during the same month last year.

South Korea's Samsung lost its spot as the market leader, with 14% of devices sold versus 28% last year, and Apple's share dropped to 9% from 12%.

Overall smartphone sales were down 26% year-on-year, MTS said, as Western sanctions and supply chain disruptions have severely hit Russia's consumer economy.

Apple and Samsung stopped new product sales in Russia after Moscow sent its army into Ukraine in late February, but retailers have been able to use up existing stocks.

The Kremlin has also moved to allow Russian companies to ship in some products, including smartphones, without the license holder's permission in a so-called "parallel imports" scheme.

(Reporting by Reuters)