iPhone 16 pre-orders surge in Russia despite higher prices

Pre-orders for the new iPhone 16 in Russia have surged, with demand rising by 15% compared to its predecessor, according to a recent report from Reuters. Despite the significant price increase—Russian consumers are paying at least 50% more than their counterparts in the West, states the report.

The higher costs are largely due to Apple's exit from the Russian market following Western sanctions related to the war in Ukraine. Russia has since legalised "grey" or "parallel" imports, allowing retailers to import goods without the direct approval of the brands. This workaround has kept Apple products available in Russia, but at a premium.

For instance, the 128GB iPhone 16 is priced at 112,999 roubles ($1,225) in Russia, compared to $799 in the US. Similarly, the 1TB iPhone 16 Pro Max is available for pre-order at 249,999 roubles ($2,710), over $1,000 more than the US price of $1,599, as per the Reuters article. Prices vary widely depending on how the devices are imported—some are brought in through official retailers and others via independent "grey sellers".

Restore, an electronics retailer, has observed a strong rise in demand despite the price disparity. Lyudmila Semushina, a spokesperson for the store, noted that iPhones arriving in Russia are sourced from a variety of countries, including Turkey, China, India, and former Soviet states, which have maintained trade ties with Moscow.

Semushina also highlighted that since Apple has not been in contact with Russian retailers since the sanctions began, it is difficult to make accurate comparisons between Russian and international prices. Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 launched on September 10, with physical sales expected to start soon.

Apple, which ceased product sales and services like ApplePay in Russia in March 2022, has not commented on the latest pre-order figures or pricing in Russia to Reuters.