undertaken by Ipsos Comcon this March, Comnews reports that the figure stands at 38%, or seven percentage points more than a year earlier.

This made smart TVs the fastest growing category of devices used to access the internet in Russia, ahead of tablets, which were used by 63% and grew by five percentage points over the year.

Smartphones, the most popular, were used by 91%, up three percentage points.

Smart TV users invariably access content, including popular TV channels, online cinema and services such as YouTube, via widgets, according to a representative of Ipsos Comcon.

They also learn about their TVs’ multimedia capabilities gradually.

GfK says that smart TVs accounted for 37% of set sales in the first quarter, down from 39.6% in the same period last year.

Sales were particularly strong in 2013-14, when viewers were less price conscious than they are today.