Telefónica España will launch a Hardware and Devices division within its residential B2C operation on 1 October 2026, giving its device business its own leadership for the first time. Alberto Ruano will head the new unit after leaving his role as Lenovo's director general for Spain and Portugal. In an official press release, Telefónica said the division would bring its full device and equipment portfolio under one leader.
The division will report to Telefónica España Chief Revenue Officer Óscar Candiles and join his Management Committee. Its remit covers the entire device operation, from smartphones to a much wider range of products, across all sales channels. Telefónica had already bundled and cross-sold devices with connectivity and other services. The new division formalises that approach with a dedicated management structure for the hardware business.
The unit will oversee the portfolio and manufacturer negotiations, while also designing offers and running sales and logistics. Procurement, supply-chain oversight and financial control will also fall within its remit. Telefónica is treating hardware as a business with its own commercial and day-to-day responsibilities.
Movistar sold 900,000 devices in Spain between January and August 2026, 10% more than in the same period a year earlier. Growth increasingly comes from products beyond smartphones: other categories accounted for 42% of equipment sold, six percentage points more than a year ago.
The biggest increases came in smartwatches and tablets, both at 29%. Household appliances rose 28%, while televisions increased 26%. Movistar now offers more than 800 references. The catalogue spans smartphones and tablets, as well as consoles and smartwatches; it also includes small and large household appliances. Telefónica's official statement also pointed to the growing share of equipment outside the smartphone category.
The wider catalogue is changing the operator's role in the home. Telefónica España president Borja Ochoa said customers increasingly come to Movistar for more than a mobile phone. They may also be looking for a television or tablet, or for a laptop or smartwatch. The sales figures show the shift in the product mix, beyond the marketing language.
Movistar Swap has helped support the broader offer. Launched in September 2025, the service lets customers use a device for a monthly fee. After 24 or 36 months, they can exchange it for the latest model or keep the one they have. Movistar then collects the old equipment for refurbishment or recycling.
Telefónica says it wants devices to have the same level of importance as other businesses with their own identity inside the group, including home television and digital solutions for companies. The new structure gives hardware its own team and a separate growth plan.
Ochoa described Ruano as one of the executives with the deepest knowledge of the sector. Ruano has spent more than 25 years in technology management. He joined Toshiba España in 2000 as director of Professional Audio/Video Business, then took senior management roles at Toshiba Visual Products and Toshiba España.
Ruano moved to Lenovo in 2013 as director of Business and Public Administration for Spain and Portugal. In 2016, he became the company's director general for both countries and held the position until September 2026. During that period, Lenovo consolidated its position as the PC market leader in the Iberian Peninsula.
Ruano now takes charge of a business with direct access to millions of households and companies through Movistar's existing customer relationships. His stated task is to make that relationship a stronger route into technology by offering the right products and conditions when customers need them.
The unit brings the catalogue under one structure and links product selection to supply and distribution, with profitability also in scope. El País and Cinco Días have linked the broader device offer to higher sales and customer loyalty, or “fidelización”.
