iPhone 16 series unveiled in Russia as retailers skirt Apple's export ban

iPhone 16 in Russia: Russian retailers have launched pre-sales of Apple 's latest iPhone , circumventing company's export ban to Russia and giving consumers chance to pre-order devices hundreds of dollars more expensive than in United States.

Russia's leing electronics retailer M.Video-Eldoro and mobile network operator MTS both claimed on Thursday to be first in Russia to unveil Apple 's new iPhone 16.

M.Video said phone deliveries would begin from next week. MTS said it expected physical sales to begin very soon.

Apple paused all its product sales in Russia in March 2022 and halted services like Apple Pay in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine while Western-imposed sanctions sought to curb techlogy exports to Russia.

Apple did t immediately respond to a request for comment outside US business hours.

Russians will have to fork out several hundred dollars more than US consumers for iPhone 16.

Foreign brands that halted exports to Russia w take circuitous routes to reach consumers, typically through countries that have t imposed sanctions on Russia, such as Turkey, Kazakhstan, China, India and United Arab Emirates.

Reuters could t determine which route into country new iPhones would be taking.

parallel, or grey, imports scheme, endorsed by Russian government for brands that exited Russia since invasion, keeps goods of companies that sought to leave Russia available and shows challenge firms face in controlling supply chains when exiting a market.

M.Video said prices would start at 112,999 roubles ($1,225) for 128GB iPhone 16, over $400 more expensive than US price of $799. 1TB iPhone 16 Pro Max was available for pre-order in Russia for 249,999 roubles ($2,710), compared to US price of $1,599.

MTS prices were marginally higher than M.Video's and said it required a 25,000-rouble deposit for pre-orders.

Western goods and techlogy remain popular in Russia, a potential vulnerability that Moscow wants to reduce with domestic production.

Kremlin has told officials to stop using iPhones, saying that Western intelligence ncies have compromised m using surveillance software. Apple has denied those claims.