The pandemic has boosted the take-up of smart TVs in Russia.
Data published by J’son & Partners shows that as of last year there were a total of 30 million sets deployed, up from 25.5 million in 2019. The number is forecast to rise to 34.8 million this year and 50.8 million by 2024.
J’son & Partners say that the increase in sales last year, which exceeded the previously most successful year for sales (2014), was down to several factors.
These include the growing popularity of legal video services; expansion of smart TVs and their functions; reduction in the average cost of a device; and rapid adaption of retail chains to force majeure conditions.
Meanwhile, another study conducted in March this year showed that the number of smart TV viewers in Russian cities with a population of over 100,000 is steadily increasing.
In 2018, 30% of Russians said that they used smart TV to watch TV programmes and by this March this had risen to 45%.