Russia

Key mobile trends

In 2012, 24 million youth will switch accounts in Russia causing operators to lose more than $1.5 billion. With penetration rates of over 100%, the key to increasing the bottom line is not in acquiring new subscribers but in reducing churn. Mobile apps and services such as mobile money driven by mobile internet will be the key to growth on the country’s youth mobile market. Among handset brands, Apple’s iPhone dominates youth wishlist as Nokia’s dominant market position comes under threat.

flickr © Jgerroos

Implications

Handset and service purchase decisions are driven by social factors such as word-of-mouth recommendations from friends. Mobile brands need to identify what factors influence youth in Russia. Marketing and innovation need to be driven by grassroots effort that begin with insights from the youth market and end up with engagement programs or co-creation ventures. For actionable insights into youth mobile culture in Russia contact mobileYouth 2012 Report.