Strong demand for Apple smartphones in Russia indicates that consumer appetite for popular products has yet to falter, even amid a wider economic slowdown. The country is currently experiencing its highest interest rates in 20 years and a budget deficit exceeding four trillion roubles.
The popularity of iPhones has endured despite Apple halting sales in 2022 and suspending services like Apple Pay following Western sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine. In Russia, these phones also command higher prices than in Western markets.
“This year we have 66% more pre-orders than last year,” said Lyudmila Semushina, PR director for Inventive Retail Group, which owns tech retailer Restore:. Speaking from a Restore: branch in Moscow, she added, “There is a huge fan base that will never exchange iPhone for anything else.”
Apple rolled out the iPhone 17 range globally this week, featuring a new design, updated cameras, and the new Air model. One customer, Oleg Kochetkov, said he was considering an upgrade to the new iPhone Air, noting that many Russians are using iPhones for FaceTime after the government restricted WhatsApp and Telegram call services. Tech blogger Sergei Yepikhin also expressed interest in switching from an Android device to an iPhone Pro, highlighting the new camera features as a major draw.
Russia’s Sber and T-Bank have recently launched contactless payment services to circumvent the Apple Pay ban.
On Saturday, the new Apple products at the Restore: store were for browsing only, with customers able to place pre-orders for delivery in the coming days. Restore:’s Semushina said there is always a “small shortage of new iPhones” at the beginning and that the additional logistics costs of “parallel imports” have impacted shelf prices.
The basic 256 GB iPhone 17 is listed at 119,990 roubles ($1,437.08) on Restore:’s online store, which is about 57% more than the U.S. retail price and 29% more than Great Britain’s. According to retailer M.Video Eldorado, Apple was the top smartphone brand by sales revenue in Russia in 2024, although China’s Xiaomi led in unit sales.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
