German Smartphone Sales ‘Back on Course for Growth,’ Says Gfu

German consumers bought more than 5 million smartphones in Q1, a 4.5% increase from the 2021 quarter, reported Gfu Thursday, according to an unofficial English translation. Revenue grew 16.9% to more than 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion), as the average selling price of all phones sold climbed 11.9% year over year to 621 euros ($668), it said. “Smartphone sales depend to a large extent on the offerings of network operators,” said Gfu Managing Director Sara Warneke. “After their shops were closed for a long time during the pandemic, the number of smartphones sold decreased.” With COVID-19 restrictions now lifted, sales “are back on course for growth, because smartphones are still among the most popular products in our market," she said.