Last week, Apple temporarily suspended all online sales in Russia due to extreme fluctuations in the value of the ruble (the country’s native currency).
Today, the Apple online store in Russia returned with drastically increased pricing. According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple has raised iPhone prices in Russia by 35 percent. A 16GB iPhone 6 prior to December 16 was priced at 39,990 rubles ($843 CAD) and it now costs 53,990 rubles ($1,139 CAD).
“The ruble has lost about 30 percent versus the dollar this quarter amid falling oil prices and economic sanctions against Russia, making the revenue Apple and other U.S. companies earn in the country worth less in dollars. Global consumer brands including Samsung and Cartier have also boosted Russia prices.”
For Russians, the decline in the value of the ruble means an increase in price for electronics, cars, and clothing. Software application costs are also on the rise, with Apple raising the base price of an app on the App Store from 33 rubles to 62 rubles.
Last month, Apple had to increase the price of the iPhone 6 by 25 percent in Russia due to the weak Russian ruble. Apple’s online store remains the only way for people to directly purchase the company’s products in Russia, as the company doesn’t have any brick-and-mortar retail stores in the country.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
It’s too bad it went this way but in all honesty, those Russians that were able to afford $850 iPhone most likely will be able to afford $1,100 iPhone. Income gap is so significant there that the group of consumers that Apple is targeting will see the price increase as a small inconvenience.
that sounds bizarre ! Are we still in the talking of business of multi-nationals here? there is something about this post, that doesn’t sound right. Should we raise matter for discussion and consideration, a communist trend may have entered capitalist business and multi-nationals operations.
take care,
marc
@ipostic… that’s dumb observbation. are You actually making an attempt to say, russians do not live ( make it a living ) by means of their own money ? (i.e: money laundering business then for the catholics background countries of the EU ). people would waste so much money when it’s not their own money only. ( earned in a non legit way and then “niz” money laundering, for the dirty business of the catholic community: racketeering and drug dealers )