Apple, which previously announced it was suspending supplies to Russia, has continued to export products to the country, according to Izvestia.
The report says Apple ships thousands of units a month to Russia, but the devices will not be sold on shelves, but will be used for device warranty service for new ones. Several sources close to Apple’s partners in Russia told Izvestia that Apple products will continue to be supplied to Russia. In June alone, the tech giant imported thousands of smartphones and computers.
In Russia, Apple products entering the country under the direct import program will continue to be covered by warranty. That is, with the manufacturer’s permission, if a faulty device cannot be repaired at an authorized service center (ASC), it can be replaced with a new device under the terms of the warranty. In addition, Apple continues to honor its commitment under the AppleCare+ Extended Support Program.
Bi2X and NB Service have also confirmed this information and have indicated that in some cases, a new replacement may take up to 45 days.
Meanwhile, experts interviewed by Izvestia agreed that Apple’s fulfillment of its warranty obligations may indicate that the company has no plans to completely cease its activities in Russia.
Apple outlined a series of actions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including halting exports of all products to its sales channels in Russia. Apple said Apple Pay and other services have been restricted. Official Russian media outlets Russia Today and RIA Novosti News are no longer available for download from the Apple App Store outside of Russia. On Tuesday, Russian users could still access Apple’s online store, but when trying to purchase an iPhone the store would indicate that the products could not be delivered to their homes.
