Apple work in Russia [ответы на популярные вопросы]

In this article, I will try to answer the most popular questions from readers regarding the future work of Apple in Russia (and Belarus).

Apple completely left Russia?

Not yet. Jur. the person is registered and still works in Russia (Apple Rus LLC). It has not been liquidated.

In general, not a single large technology company has left Russia yet, everything has been put on pause. No one has fired employees, legal entities have not been liquidated, salaries are being paid. But of course, no one excludes the complete withdrawal of the company.

Apple complied with the Landing Law on February 4th. Official authorized resellers still sell equipment left in warehouses (there will be enough left in warehouses for 2 months). But on the official Apple website in Russia is not being sold.

Products from the spring presentation did not appear on the official website. site. Apple has confirmed that it will not bring them.

Plus, supply chains are disrupted. The largest companies FedEx and DHL, which delivered equipment from China, stopped working on the territory of the Russian Federation and Belarus. And building new supply chains under international sanctions is not so easy.

Plus, consider the changeable exchange rate of the ruble. And the official reseller cannot clear the equipment at one rate, but sell it at another. Do not forget about the problems with international transfers.

It is rather difficult to predict how the situation with Apple equipment in the Russian market will develop. Sanctions can be quickly adopted, but as a rule, they can be lifted for years (we all look at the example of Iran).

Should you stock up on Apple technology for the future?

Only in case of need, when the old phone and laptop is broken and a replacement is required. All equipment has already risen sharply in price, and there is no point in running to buy Apple equipment – you will overpay in vain.

Russia recently adopted a law on “parallel imports”. What does this mean in practice? The import of electronics, clothing and all imports will now go without agreement with the copyright holder and bypass the sanctions. So soon we are waiting for gray iPhones and Macs in stores without an official Apple warranty.

Apple warranty service in Russia now

Apple in normal mode continues to fulfill its warranty obligations. I have not heard any rumors that now there are not enough components for repairs.

On March 15, there was a statement from re:Store that now you can not make paid repairs in the office. service, i.e. not guaranteed.

Should I buy spare parts for iPhone, MacBook or AirPods?

Spare parts and the cost of repairing equipment increase over time, plus supply chains do not work. So if you have broken appliances, you need to buy original spare parts now. As long as they are available.

And it makes no sense to buy spare parts for the future, for example, a battery. Over time, batteries will simply lose their condition. We have a lot of third-party services in our country that buy analogues, so there should be no problems with spare parts (non-original) for Apple equipment in Russia.

Is it possible to update the iPhone now and will Apple block it?

You can and should update. Firstly, this is a security update, and secondly, this is the appearance of new features. There are no locks now.

Soon (possibly June 8) there will be a presentation of WWDC 22, where they will present iOS 16 with new features.

If Apple wants to, it will block all the equipment anyway, and without any updates. But this is unlikely to happen.

What services will Apple restrict in Russia?

Apple Pay contactless payment no longer works and you can’t link cards to Apple ID:

• VISA and Master Card cards do not work due to restrictions on the part of the processing centers themselves.
• MIR maps do not work due to a personal decision by Apple.

But there are alternative ways to replenish Apple ID and pay for services, unlike Google Play, where you can now download only free applications.

How to recharge Apple ID?

There are 2 ways: buying Gift cards through Qiwi and linking a phone number to an Apple ID.

These methods work great in Russia. But what about the residents of neighboring republics (Belarus), who have registered a Russian account, I personally have not yet found a way. Write in the comments how you do it.

Can Apple block Apple ID top-ups over the phone?

While these are just rumors, there is no need to panic. While the above methods work (Qiwi and by phone number), replenish your account immediately for six months or a year in advance.

And there, either everyone will be unblocked, or there will be some alternative methods if the current ones are also blocked.

Do I need to upload data from iCloud? Will there be a blockage?

For Apple, blocking iCloud is a big blow to reputation. And it’s unlikely, but possible. Therefore, I recommend making a full backup of your data every six months (read detailed instructions) to a USB flash drive or external SSD.

What will happen to Apple technology due to sanctions?

The market adapts over time, but you need to wait a few months until new supply chains are established (or old ones are restored). If Apple does not return official deliveries to Russia and Belarus, then we are waiting for the appearance of “gray” equipment from China without an official guarantee. Russia has already adopted a law “on parallel imports” – time will tell how it will work.

In theory, the adopted sanctions do not affect consumer electronics: phones, tablets, laptops and PCs. The companies themselves stop deliveries because of the conflict.

All information in this article is current as of April 4, 2022. If anything changes, stay tuned to this article.