iPhone 14 will be sold in Russia, despite economic sanctions

iPhone 14 may arrive in Russia, although not as much as in previous years. The wave of sanctions imposed on Vladimir Putin’s government after the war in Ukraine has forced companies like Apple to stop selling their products. However, the Kremlin spokesman says that the new iPhone will be available in the country through the import scheme.

This was stated by the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov. RIA News what users will be able to buy iPhone 14. “Why not? If consumers want to buy these phones, please. There will be such an opportunity,” he said. Manturov’s statements are based on parallel import policyapproved as a measure to guarantee the products of companies that have ceased operations in the country.

Although Manturov did not give details on when the iPhone 14 will go on sale in Russia, experts believe that will be on sale from October. This was stated by Deputy Director of the NTI Competence Center in Moscow Alexander Sivolobov. ESTUARY that the new iPhone will “appear within a month” at retail. Despite the popularity of Apple devices in other countries, Sivolobov does not believe that this will be replicated in the country.

“I don’t expect the same degree of enthusiasm as in previous years. Over the past six months, the American manufacturer has lost a significant share of the Russian market,” he said. According to the analyst, sales will be slow at the beginning and most Russians will switch to other Chinese smartphones. Sivolobov mentioned that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 are still modern devices, so it’s better to wait another year.

How much will the iPhone 14 cost in Russia?

Although the Cupertinos suspended the sale of products at their Apple Store in Russia in early March, this does not prevent other stores from selling the iPhone 14. Parallel imports are an alternative developed by the Kremlin to counter hostile actions of foreign politicians. Local operators are already offering bookings a new smartphone, although they do not guarantee a delivery date.

In accordance with Reuters, MTS will sell the 128 GB iPhone 14 at a price of 84,990 rubles, which is equivalent to approximately 1,398 euros.. The carrier mentioned that it could take up to four months for delivery, and that they reserve the right to cancel the pre-sale if they have trouble importing the device. The sale price is a significant jump considering the 128GB iPhone 13 sold for €937 at the time of its launch.

Even if the Russians decide to buy the iPhone 14 through a retailer, user experience will be reduced. The war in Ukraine led not only to a slowdown in product sales, but also to the closure of services such as Apple Pay. Users can’t add funds to their Apple ID or iTunes Store account if they’re using local bank cards and gift cards don’t work.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Kremlin accused the App Store of violating antitrust laws. The Russian regulator said Apple was abusing its market dominance and threatened to impose a $1 million fine. The Cupertino-based company faces various sanctions in that country, most of which came after its withdrawal at the start of the war.