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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple today launched its online store in Russia, bringing direct ordering of its full lineup of products to the world's ninth most populous nation. The launch is being promoted with a large banner on the main Apple page for Russian visitors.

apple_online_store_russia.jpg
Apple was reported last August to be preparing to begin direct sales in Russia, with the possibility of brick and mortar retail stores following in the future. Apple was reportedly unhappy with its distribution network in the country, particularly with regard to the iPhone, and those distribution issues appear to have spurred Apple to launch its own direct sales there.

Evidence of Apple hiring team members for the Russian online store appeared earlier this year, with those positions based in Cork, Ireland. The company does, however, have a presence in Moscow where it handles iTunes Store, marketing, business sales, carrier relations, and other functions.

Article Link: Apple Launches Online Store in Russia with Full Product Lineup
 

Mike MA

macrumors 68020
Sep 21, 2012
2,089
1,811
Germany
Hopefully they're treated better than many of the European Countries. Still waiting for Movies in the Cloud, Two-Step Verification, Apple TV features, etc. in Germany and of course no announcement for iTunes Radio at all...
 

ifij775

macrumors regular
Nov 6, 2012
154
0
Boston, MA
Hopefully they're treated better than many of the European Countries. Still waiting for Movies in the Cloud, Two-Step Verification, Apple TV features, etc. in Germany and of course no announcement for iTunes Radio at all...

I've never understood why Apple doesn't license content to be sold in all countries. Is it exclusivity contracts, legal hurdles, or something else in these countries?
 

Mike MA

macrumors 68020
Sep 21, 2012
2,089
1,811
Germany
I've never understood why Apple doesn't license content to be sold in all countries. Is it exclusivity contracts, legal hurdles, or something else in these countries?

One reason: Different legal entities, for example Sony Deutschland GmbH, Sony Europe, Sony Corporation (global) etc. Legal hurdles might also be a reason.

But it definitely annoys people around here :(
 

Solomani

macrumors 601
Sep 25, 2012
4,785
10,477
Slapfish, North Carolina
I've never understood why Apple doesn't license content to be sold in all countries. Is it exclusivity contracts, legal hurdles, or something else in these countries?

There are many reasons why a company such as Apple would hesitate to launch services in another country. Legal hurdles is one of the major factors, because the regulations and laws governing businesses in a foreign nation is NOT the same as the laws/regulations in the USA.

A perfect example would be how the European Union loves loves loves loves to file bazillions of lawsuits and investigations upon Microsoft (and now Google) citing anti-competitive practices. Remember how Europe slammed Microsoft's Internet Explorer because it was the default browser in Windows? Well, that's how European business laws are. In the USA, however, the US business environment allows companies like Microsoft and Google to get away with such practices. I'm not an apologist for American corporate practices.... I'm just tellin' it like it is.

Hence... before a company like Apple enters another nation like Russia, they need to really do their research and consider how the laws/regulations in Russia could hamper their success.
 

dragje

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2012
874
681
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
In Soviet Russia, iPhone buys you!

Wishful thinking I'm afraid...

http://www.nu.nl/files/datajournalistiek/graphics/highcharts/examples/telefoonidcfeature2013q1.htm

Apple is drastically loosing ground in Europe, the popularity is going down in a pretty fast way.... The days of line-ups for Apple stores are over. When iPhone 5s will be launched no new line-ups in Amsterdam, I can promise you that. I see more Samsung phones then Apple products when sitting in a train, two years ago it was the other way around.

Only a new Apple watch or a "revolutionary" new product can "save" apple, save in "" because the company is still very very rich but Apple is no longer "cool" unfortunately I may add.
 

kot

macrumors regular
Sep 10, 2011
161
0
I see more Samsung phones then Apple products when sitting in a train, two years ago it was the other way around.
.

Samsung sells commodities, of course there will be more people who can afford only cheap samsung phones. Also massive brainwashing conducted by Samsung influences young and weak minds into buying samsung phones.
 

MrNomNoms

macrumors 65816
Jan 25, 2011
1,156
294
Wellington, New Zealand
Wishful thinking I'm afraid...

http://www.nu.nl/files/datajournalistiek/graphics/highcharts/examples/telefoonidcfeature2013q1.htm

Apple is drastically loosing ground in Europe, the popularity is going down in a pretty fast way.... The days of line-ups for Apple stores are over. When iPhone 5s will be launched no new line-ups in Amsterdam, I can promise you that. I see more Samsung phones then Apple products when sitting in a train, two years ago it was the other way around.

Only a new Apple watch or a "revolutionary" new product can "save" apple, save in "" because the company is still very very rich but Apple is no longer "cool" unfortunately I may add.

Considering that as a continent that Europe is heading down the crapper I think there are greater considerations in the minds of the average European that throwing cash at the latest gizmo unless it is heavily subsidised or given away with a free bottle of Victory Gin. The growth is in the Asia-Pacific region with the rising middle class that isn't riddled with all the financial problems that are present in the western world such as high personal debt and lack of work ethic thus from what it appears the push by Apple seems to be banking on gaining ground in these emerging and formally neglected markets.
 

Kattym

macrumors member
Mar 13, 2013
41
0
The only thing I can't understand is why the prices in the official Apple store in Russia is higher than in other official stores in the world?
 

dragje

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2012
874
681
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Samsung sells commodities, of course there will be more people who can afford only cheap samsung phones.

I think that is one part of the story, the other part is that Samsung phones are just as 'smart' as the iPhone 5. Hack, the HTC surpasses the iPhone 5 on hardware even. Meaning, the smartphones of today can do practically the very same things as an iPhone can, some smartphones even more. iPhone is simply no leading factor any longer and on top of that more expensive as well.

Don't get me wrong, I dig iPhone above any other smartphone. I like it's robust look and feel when holding the device. It might be more expensive and even less configurable when compared to other smartphones but since I work in an Apple surround due of my work I like to make everything sync with an ease using iCloud.

And let's not forget, Apple will come up with cheaper models as well which I regret but fully understand as well. It's nice to have a well build smartphone but if your phone has a market value less then 5% in the future to come then you've a problem.

Also massive brainwashing conducted by Samsung influences young and weak minds into buying samsung phones.

Oh come on :) Apple did the exact 'same thing' in previous time. Remember those, wonderful by the way, funny 'Hi I'm a PC and I'm a Mac' commercials? On top of that it where the youngsters (you, but weak?) Apple was aiming on and still like to be noticed as a "creative" company among youngsters.
Don't accuse other branch with influencing the young generation while Apple did the exact same thing year after year ;)

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Considering that as a continent that Europe is heading down the crapper I think there are greater considerations in the minds of the average European that throwing cash at the latest gizmo unless it is heavily subsidised or given away with a free bottle of Victory Gin. The growth is in the Asia-Pacific region with the rising middle class that isn't riddled with all the financial problems that are present in the western world such as high personal debt and lack of work ethic thus from what it appears the push by Apple seems to be banking on gaining ground in these emerging and formally neglected markets.

Well, Apple is loosing ground in Asia as well. Further more, the world is having issues with the economy, not just Europe. And the VS? Well, let's not start there shall we? The national depth of the VS could easily bring the whole world economy down at ease within seconds.
 

Sandstorm

macrumors 6502a
Sep 27, 2011
697
1,714
Riga, Latvia
This is good. With as much money as Apple has, it's strange that it's not yet fully present in every market. Apple should be EVERYWHERE. Even if some markets are not that "interesting". Only then Apple customers can be properly globally serviced.

Wouldn't it be great that you knew, that you can travel with your Apple product to any country and if something happens, you can get competent assistance directly from Apple and not some shady reseller?
 

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
I've never understood why Apple doesn't license content to be sold in all countries. Is it exclusivity contracts, legal hurdles, or something else in these countries?

If you are a recording artist and have a record with Sony, just as an example, there will be Sony USA with the rights to sell the song in the USA, Sony UK with the rights to sell it in the UK, and so on and so on. So Apple has to make a deal with Sony USA, Sony UK, and so on and so on.

And the CEO of Sony UK doesn't want you to buy from the US store, because that increases the profit of Sony USA and not Sony UK, and therefore doesn't improve his bonus.

There may be legal hurdles as well; Apple has to examine what consumer rights there are and if they match with the contract that Apple has signed with the record company. Let's say Apple has to pay the record company for every song purchased with no refunds if the money is refunded (because that would be extremely rare in the USA), but in country X consumers have the right to get a refund for any downloads within 14 days for any reason. That could lose Apple lots of money, so they won't sell downloads there.
 

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
The only thing I can't understand is why the prices in the official Apple store in Russia is higher than in other official stores in the world?

I haven't checked the prices, but there are import taxes, there are sales taxes, there are consumer rights that cost money. It is possible that there are "official" currency exchange rates that are totally unrealistic, especially if a country wants to prevent its inmates to get currency of other countries in their hands.
 
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ijohn.8.80

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2012
1,246
2
Adelaide, Oztwaylya.

Four oF NINE

macrumors 68000
Sep 28, 2011
1,931
896
Hell's Kitchen
Хорошо, что :apple: уже давно перешли в состав Советского Союза, и в ближайшее время будет иметь магазинов :apple:
 

kaellar

macrumors 6502
Nov 12, 2012
441
17
Хорошо, что :apple: уже давно перешли в состав Советского Союза, и в ближайшее время будет иметь магазинов :apple:

" good that :apple: already long time ago came to Soviet Union union and soon will to have of stores :apple: "
looks like google.translate isn't as good as you think..

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funny story: Apple had no stores in Russia - Russians where whining. Apple now has online store - Russians continue whining.
most of Russians don't understand that they belong to EU region and won't ever get US price tags on Apple products. I guess the reasons are EU prices + EU/5 salaries.
 
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bushido

Suspended
Mar 26, 2008
8,070
2,755
Germany
Samsung sells commodities, of course there will be more people who can afford only cheap samsung phones. Also massive brainwashing conducted by Samsung influences young and weak minds into buying samsung phones.

not to defend android or anything but the Galaxy S4 is the same price as the iPhone 5 here (1€) and the HTC one is even more expensive and i see where hes coming from. all my friends used to have an iPhone back in the iPhone 3GS / iPhone 4 days, now im the only one left :eek:

i almost considered android myself but then i had to set up my sisters galaxy tab and it was the worst

... but anyway, lets go back to the topic
 

netkas

macrumors 65816
Oct 2, 2007
1,198
394
Prices are still higher than US prices.

e.g. lower-end macbook air costs 1270$ versus 999$ in US
 

kaellar

macrumors 6502
Nov 12, 2012
441
17
Perhaps your reverse translation was the problem, and I did not use Google translator.

The "reverse translation" is done by me, as precise as it could get, to show how idiotic is your post for Russian-speaking people. No offense.
Idk what you've been using, but it definitely has some(?) flaws.
 
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