What makes things even more difficult is the fact that you can get new devices from other providers for a much lower price. Depending on the color, you can still find something on Amazon starting at 599 euros, for example. Although it will soon become more expensive through third-party providers, at the moment many have not yet followed suit with the conditions in the Apple Store. However, stocks appear to be shrinking rapidly as some offers have already disappeared.
Blocked apps: Russia demands clarification from Apple
Apple has removed several apps from the state-controlled Russian technology group VK from the App Store. Those affected include VKontakte, VK Video, VK Messenger, VK Music and Odnoklassenik. Apparently the deletion took place without any warning or precise justification. Apple, on the other hand, claims to comply with applicable sanctions, which is why it had to take action.
There is now protest from Russia because government spokesman Dmitri Peskov announced official intervention. If there is no comprehensible justification, consequences must be drawn for further cooperation with the company. However, it doesn’t seem to be quite so clear, because VK itself is not yet on any official sanctions list – although the CEO is.
The Kremlin accuses Apple of restricting access to important services, while at the same time the Russian authorities are blocking or restricting numerous foreign platforms. Incidentally, Apple has no longer sold hardware in Russia since March 2022, as a direct result of the attack on Ukraine.