there are more ‘entry-level’ models in the showcases

It has become easier to find a basic and cheaper cell phone in the Brazilian market. According to research regarding devices available in the country, the average price fell in 2023 and at the beginning of the year. To help those who want to buy their smartphone, EXTRA brings, this Sunday, a guide with tips according to usage profiles, explanations about the technical specifications that appear in sales advertisements, and guidelines for a safe choice on the internet.

• Look: How to choose a cell phone according to your usage profile? Understand the specifications
• And more: Illegal market sold 25% of devices in Brazil in 2023. Understand risks and how to protect yourself

— The purchase of a cell phone must be made based on the consumption profile combined with the cost-benefit ratio. Today, there is a huge range of models and manufacturers that offer the most varied devices — says André Gildin, Director of RKKG Consulting: — We can divide the devices into basically three groups: the simplest, with low resolution and medium performance, cheaper; intermediate ones, which range from R$1,500 to R$3,000, which have good performance for all uses; and the most sophisticated, normally above R$5,000.

Understand the drop in the average price

A survey by IDC Brasil calculates that, in the country, the average price of smartphones (that is, considering the most expensive models to the cheapest) was R$1,907 at the end of 2022. At the end of 2023, it was R$1,795 . A reduction of 5.9%. In the Fipe/Buscapé Index, from March 2023 to March 2024, the drop recorded in the average reached 14.9%.

For Samuel Barros, doctor in Administration and dean of Ibmec Rio, the devaluation of the dollar against the real, which impacts electronics in general, and the lower price of semiconductors — which make up cell phones and whose production normalization only happened last year, after two years of global crisis — begin to explain the numbers. But there are still internal market factors.

— It is very relevant that the industry has identified that Brazilians are preferring larger screens and a good camera over cheaper products to buy. You don’t want a lot of technology behind it, which makes the product more expensive. So the industry has more of these models, which reduces the average price of the category — says Barros.

Reinaldo Sakis, research director at IDC Latin America, agrees and points out that this desire has been identified by the institute since the pandemic and has only grown. But there is, in the expansion of the mix of cheaper products offered, according to him, yet another reason: the attempt to combat the illegal market, which took off in 2023.

— The illegal market went from 4 million cell phone sales in 2022 to 6.2 million last year. The entire industry is having to play catch-up. And, therefore, the companies’ portfolio is more focused on ‘entry-level’ products at the beginning of the year — he explains.

Sérgio Crispim, responsible for the Fipe/Buscapé research, also points out that the stock of unsold devices in the country, whose rapid cheapening is a characteristic among technological devices, contributes to lowering the standard in average prices.

Tips for good shopping

Read reviews – A tip that everyone should have before making the outlay is to look for reviews of the device made by other consumers. Many online stores maintain a field for comments on each product page. But websites such as “Consumidor.gov.br” and “Reclame Aqui” can also be consulted.

Don’t be guided by the name – The way we know a cell phone is often reduced. Therefore, read all the specifications before purchasing, as there may be different versions with different memories or other specifications.

Consider colors – Many cell phone promotions are restricted to a specific color for the device. Especially when the cell phone is old and there is only one color left in stock. On the one hand, staying open to color can be a good thing. But if that’s not an option, be careful when you see a sale.

Payment method – The payment method can also influence the total price paid for the product. If you have a reservation, ask for a discount on Pix.

Service plan – According to André Gildin, before buying a cell phone, you also need to think about the service plan contracted with the operator – 4G or 5G and the amount of data contracted. More sophisticated devices make more intensive use of the data package and there is often the risk of purchasing an expensive device that the user will not be able to use to its full capacity, as they will need to review their plan.

Search and alert – On the internet, it is possible to find a wide variety of prices for the same cell phone. Use search engines to search for the best cost and, if you can wait, create alerts for the desired price. “Zoom”, for example, offers this service and also offers product price history, to find out whether the current label is good or not.

See offers

Clear

• The Samsung Galaxy A15 128GB, in the Claro Controle 20GB + 5GB plan, costs R$999 in an exclusive offer for customers who choose to deliver their used device. The Claro Troca program offers vouchers of up to R$800 to purchase smartphones to customers who hand over their used smartphone as part of the payment.
• The Samsung Galaxy A55 256GB, on the Claro Post 100GB+100GB Multi plan, costs R$1,499.
• The operation allows installments in up to 24 installments for Bradesco Visa and Amex cards. Furthermore, it’s always worth taking a look at Claro Club, the operator’s relationship program, to get discounts on the purchase of new devices.

Tim

• The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G, on the Tim Controle plan, is on sale from R$1,599 for R$1,099. The Motorola Edge 40 Neo, on the Tim Black 15GB plan, costs R$2,999 for R$1,499. The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 256GB, on the Tim Black Family 100GB plan, costs R$4,499 for R$1,499.

Magazine Luiza

• The Motorola Moto E22 64GB Black Smartphone costs R$1,399 for R$849 in seven installments of R$121.29 or R$764.10 on Pix.
• The Motorola Moto G04 128GB Coral is R$849 for R$779 in six interest-free installments of R$129.83 or R$701.10 on Pix.
• The Samsung Galaxy A05 128GB Black is on sale from R$899.90 for R$799 in six interest-free installments of R$133.17 or R$719.10 on Pix.

Casas Bahia

• The Motorola Moto G04 Graphite 128GB costs R$ 933.90 for R$ 776 in up to seven interest-free installments of R$ 110.95 or R$ 699 on Pix.
• The Samsung Galaxy A05 Green 128GB dropped from R$899 to R$798.89 in eight interest-free installments of R$99.86 or R$719 on Pix.
• The Samsung Galaxy A15 4G Dark Blue 128GB dropped from R$1,399 to R$998.89 in 10 interest-free installments of R$99.89 or R$899 on Pix.