The newly-launched iPhone 14 and other Apple Inc AAPL products will be available for sale in Russia, even though the U.S. giant had left the country in March over Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
“Why not? If consumers want to buy these phones, yes. There will be the opportunity,” Russia’s Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov said, while replying to a reporter’s question on Thursday, according to a Reuters report.
How Would That Be Possible? This is possible because of Putin’s parallel import scheme announced in March, which authorized retailers to import products from abroad without the trademark owner's permission and sell them in Russia.
This explains why many of Apple’s gadgets, including the iPhone, MacBook, and other products, have remained available in Russian stores even after the company stopped selling its products in the country in March. After clearing their remaining stock of old models, the retailers are now trying to get hold of newly released devices through the import scheme.
An email sent to Apple by Benzinga seeking comment didn't elicit any response at the time of publishing this story.
Russia's mobile network MTS was already accepting requests for the pre-booking of the new iPhone 14 models on Thursday morning, according to the publication. The prices start from 84,990 roubles ($1,398) for the 128GB version.
However, the company said the delivery could take up to 120 days, and if it faced difficulties importing the products, it retains the right to cancel orders.
Price Action: Apple shares were trading 0.3% lower during Thursday's pre-market session at $155.5, as per data from Benzinga Pro.
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