Russian Retailers Bypass Apple's Export Ban, Unveil "iPhone 16" in Russia

New iPhone 16 unveiled in Russia as retailers skirt Apple's export ban

Russian retailers have launched pre-sales of Apple's latest iPhone, circumventing the company's export ban to Russia and giving consumers the chance to pre-order devices hundreds of dollars more expensive than in the United States. Russia's leading electronics retailer M.Video-Eldorado and mobile network operator MTS both claimed on Thursday to be the first in Russia to unveil Apple's new iPhone 16. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp M.Video said phone deliveries would begin from next week. MTS said it expected physical sales to begin very soon. Apple paused all its product sales in Russia in March 2022 and halted services like ApplePay in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine while Western-imposed sanctions sought to curb technology exports to Russia. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside US business hours. More From This Section Pager bombs shock Hezbollah, report claims Israel planned attack in 2022 Kim calls for bolstering nuclear weapons after testing 2 types of missiles Gold mining town in Congo becomes mpox hot spot as new strain spreads Waymo in talks with S Korea's Hyundai Motor to produce self-driving taxis UN advisory body makes seven recommendations for governing AI Russians will have to fork out several hundred dollars more than US consumers for the iPhone 16. Foreign brands that halted exports to Russia now take circuitous routes to reach consumers, typically through countries that have not imposed sanctions on Russia, such as Turkey, Kazakhstan, China, India and the United Arab Emirates. Reuters could not determine which route into the country the new iPhones would be taking. The parallel, or grey, imports scheme, endorsed by the Russian government for brands that exited Russia since the invasion, keeps the goods of companies that sought to leave Russia available and shows the challenge firms face in controlling supply chains when exiting a market. M.Video said prices would start at 112,999 roubles ($1,225) for the 128GB iPhone 16, over $400 more expensive than the US price of $799. The 1TB iPhone Pro Max was available for pre-order in Russia for 249,999 roubles ($2,710), compared to the US price of $1,599. MTS prices were marginally higher than M.Video's and said it required a 25,000-rouble deposit for pre-orders. Western goods and technology remain popular in Russia, a potential vulnerability that Moscow wants to reduce with domestic production. The Kremlin has told officials to stop using iPhones, saying that Western intelligence agencies have compromised them using surveillance software. Apple has denied those claims. Also Read Discontinued iPhone 15 Pros available with discounts on Flipkart Apple, mobile devices charge up 22% growth in electronics exports Apple holds back iPadOS 18 update following reports of M4 iPad Pro bricking iPhone 16 allows wireless firmware recovery using another iPhone: Report watchOS 11 brings sleep apnea detection to Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2

iPhone 16 series to go on sale in Russia despite ban - Times of India

Russian retailers have reportedly announced the pre-sales of iPhone 16 series despite Apple's export ban. Retailer M.Video said phone deliveries would begin from next week while mobile network operator MTS said the offline sale will begin very soon. It is not known how the new iPhones will reach the country. According to a report by news agency Reuters, consumers will be able to pre-order devices, however, they will have to shell out hundreds of dollars more than in the US to get their hands on the new devices.Russia's leading electronics retailer M.Video-Eldorado and mobile network operator MTS claimed to be the first in Russia to unveil Apple's new iPhone 16. How much Russians may have to pay more to get iPhone 16 series As per Reuters, M.Video said prices would start at 112,999 roubles (approx $1,225) for the 128GB iPhone 16, which is over $400 more expensive than the US price of $799. The 1TB iPhone Pro Max was available for pre-order in Russia for 249,999 roubles (approx $2,710), compared to the US price of $1,599. MTS prices are reportedly marginally higher than M.Video's and said it required a 25,000-rouble deposit for pre-orders. Ban on product sales in Russia Apple is among the group of brands that paused all its product sales in Russia in March 2022 and halted services like ApplePay after the Russia-Ukraine war. Other sanctions on the country include curbing technology exports to Russia. According to the report, brands that halted exports to Russia now take longer routes to reach consumers - typically through countries that have not imposed sanctions on Russia. These countries include Turkey, Kazakhstan, China, India and the UAE. Reportedly, a government-back "grey imports" scheme in Russia allows the continued sale of products from Western companies that left the country after the invasion of Ukraine. Reuters reports that this practice highlights the difficulty businesses face in controlling their supply chains when exiting a market. The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk's news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.