Original spare parts for iPhone and Macbook have run out in Russia

Editorial “Layout” May 02, 2024 |

Authorized service centers are now no different from the stalls at the Mitinsky market

Authorized Apple service centers in Russia have run out of original spare parts for the iPhone and Macbook, Vedomosti reports.

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At the same time, authorized Apple service centers continue to operate in Russia. In Moscow, according to the official Apple website, there are six repair services from the manufacturer. A representative of one of these centers confirmed that all ASCs do not have original components for Apple equipment in Russia.

iPhone 14 and 15 are not serviced in the Russian Federation, and original components for previous generations have ceased to be supplied

He noted that iPhone 14 and 15 are not serviced in the Russian Federation, and original components for previous generations of smartphones stopped being supplied in December 2023. According to him, until recently, Apple had leftover components in its warehouses, which were used to replace the “insides” of smartphones.

According to Mobile Research Group analyst Eldar Murtazin, service centers are now importing Chinese spare parts to Russia to repair Apple equipment, and also disassemble old phones for repair.

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The Restore network stated that service centers continued to provide warranty repairs for equipment purchased before February 2022. Since the warranty on iPhone and Macbook is valid for 2 years, it expired for all devices in February 2024, the company explained.

“Now these ASCs are no different from the stalls at the Mitinsky market,” a Vedomosti source at an electronics manufacturing company told Vedomosti.

Why is there a shortage of original spare parts for iPhone and Macbook in Russia?

As Vorstka previously wrote, after a complete ban on the import of iPhones, Russia imported only these smartphones for a total of $389 million. Mostly they were ordered from the UAE.

On February 25 of this year, the United States completely banned the export of smartphones over $300 to Russia. Even earlier, Apple and Samsung voluntarily refused to officially supply their products to Russia due to the war with Ukraine.

Parallel import schemes are practically the same for dual-use goods and consumer goods. A huge number of smartphones end up in Russia in a “gray” manner - they are not displayed in customs statistics, pass through cheaper nomenclature, or are not cleared through customs at all - they are brought by shuttles.
In addition, as Vorstka reported, Western equipment for the military-industrial complex gets to Russia through Belarus and Kazakhstan, bypassing sanctions. For deliveries, a false transit scheme was used - in order to avoid falling under the suspicion of European customs authorities, suppliers register the goods in the name of a Kazakh company, but the cargo does not reach it, but goes through Minsk and is unloaded in Moscow.

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