Pre-order demand in Russia for the new iPhone 16 is 15% higher than for the iPhone 15, even though it is at least 50% more expensive than in the West, reports Reuters.
Russia legalized so-called “grey” or “parallel” imports to allow goods to enter the country without the brands’ permission after Western companies such as Apple imposed export bans in 2022 in response to the war in Ukraine. It was the first personal computer vendor to do so.
Pre-orders were launched on Sept. 10 and physical sales are expected to start next week. Electronics retailer M.Video told Reuters that prices would start at 112,999 roubles ($1,225) for the 128GB iPhone 16, over $400 more expensive than the U.S. price of $799. The 1TB iPhone Pro Max was available for pre-order in Russia for 249,999 roubles ($2,710), compared to the U.S. price of $1,599. Despite the hefty prices, pre-order, demand in Russia is reportedly 15% higher than pre-orders were for the iPhone 15
