Economic sanctions have been accompanied by a sustained surge in the prices of iPhones in Russia through premium resellers, after Apple itself ceased to sell its products in the country in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The iMore website reported earlier on Tuesday that it had carried out research into the spiraling prices, and found that the premium reseller re:Store was offering the iPhone 13 Pro Max 1TB for a pre-order price of 263,990 rubles. This price – which works out as about $2,345 US – was up from the 239,990-rouble price apparently being charged on March 3.
iMore previously reported that prices in Russia had gone up sharply following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, with resellers reopening with prices some 50% above their original cost.
As of February 9, for instance, the iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB was reportedly listed for pre-order at a price of 109,990 rubles – the equivalent of about $1,470 US at the time. On March 3, however, the same model was being advertised for 149,990 rubles, and today, it was further reported that the price had gone up to 189,990.
In the wake of the departure of Apple and other Western companies from Russia, the Kremlin has considered confiscating the assets of such firms that have closed their operations in the country. It has been reported that businesses could be subject to external management or even nationalization in Russia.