According to the analytical center GS Group, Russian imports of Apple iPhones saw a significant increase of 15% in the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 1.1 million devices. The sales generated by these imports amounted to a value of 105.7 billion rubles, which translates to over $1 billion. In terms of monetary value, Apple devices still dominate the Russian market with a 34% market share, followed by Xiaomi from China with a 19% share and Samsung from South Korea with a 16% share.
However, when considering unit sales, the share of Apple smartphones dropped to 9%, primarily due to a decline in demand. Xiaomi’s market share accounted for 27.9% of the Russian market, while Samsung held a 12.7% share. Surprisingly, both Chinese brands, Realmi and Tecno, claimed a larger share of the Russian market with 12.1% and 10.4%, respectively, outperforming Apple.
Interestingly, the data also revealed a decline in the number of iPhones imported into Russia through parallel channels during the first half of this year. These parallel imports were one million units lower compared to the same period in 2021, before the imposition of sanctions. It is worth noting that Apple decided to discontinue its sales of iPhones and other products in Russia in March of the previous year, following the footsteps of other Western brands that left the Russian market due to Ukraine-related sanctions. Furthermore, Apple ceased to provide warranty services for their Macs and iPads in the country from April onwards.
However, in order to meet the demand for these iconic gadgets, Russian retailers have resorted to parallel imports, a practice that involves the importation of authentic non-counterfeit products through alternative supply channels without the permission of the intellectual property owner. Russia legalized this mechanism to ensure the market continued to have access to goods that Western companies had stopped delivering or producing as a result of the imposed sanctions.
In conclusion, although the sales volume of Apple iPhones in Russia has declined, the device continues to hold the largest share of the market in terms of monetary value. This has been made possible through the parallel importation of Apple devices by Russian retailers, allowing consumers to still access and purchase the iconic gadgets despite Apple’s withdrawal from the country.
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