Russians Unfazed by Higher Prices as iPhone Pre-Order Demand Soars, Reports Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Demand for pre-orders of the new iPhone in Russia is 15% higher than for the previous model, according to a reseller, despite prices being at least 50% more than in Western markets.

In response to Western companies, including Apple, imposing export bans in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine, Russia legalized "grey" or "parallel" imports. This allows goods to enter the country without the approval of the brands.

Lyudmila Semushina, a representative from the electronics retailer restore:, mentioned that the new iPhones arriving in Russia came from a variety of countries, though she did not specify which ones.

Countries that have not imposed sanctions on Russia, such as Turkey, China, India, Kazakhstan, and other former Soviet states, have seen a notable increase in trade with Russia since the onset of the conflict.

"Compared to last year’s pre-orders, demand for the iPhone 16 is 15% higher than it was for the previous model," Semushina stated.

Apple has not yet commented on the sales or pricing of the new model in Russia.

Pre-orders commenced on September 10, with physical sales slated to begin next week; however, Russian consumers will face significantly higher prices. The electronics retailer M.Video announced that prices will start at 112,999 roubles (approximately $1,225) for the 128GB iPhone 16, which is over $400 more than the U.S. price of $799. The 1TB iPhone Pro Max is available for pre-order in Russia at 249,999 roubles ($2,710), while the U.S. price is $1,599.

With the exit of major brands from the Russian market and the subsequent shift to parallel imports, Semushina indicated that her company no longer tracks the premium Russians pay for these devices.

"There is an official retailer price and prices from grey market sellers—those who bring in devices through informal channels—so prices can vary," she explained.

She also noted that there had been no communication with Apple since the beginning of the conflict. In addition to halting all product sales in Russia in March 2022, Apple has suspended services like Apple Pay.