Yes, Russians can use iPhones, as they are widely available through parallel imports from other countries, but official sales stopped in 2022, leading to higher prices and limited official services like Apple Pay, requiring workarounds for payments and some app functions. While Apple doesn't sell directly, Russian consumers buy new models from resellers, although some apps or features might face restrictions due to sanctions or Russian laws.
The iPhones' popularity in Russia has endured Apple halting sales in 2022 and suspending services like Apple Pay in the wake of Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. In Russia, the phones also command higher prices than in Western markets.
AAPL officially stopped selling in Russia after the 2022 Ukraine invasion, the tech giant's iPhone 17 models are now available in Moscow stores. These new smartphones have reached Russian buyers through the government's parallel imports initiative. Check out the current price of AAPL stock here.
🇹🇷🇭🇺 Turkey and Hungary are moving to prohibit iPhones following China, Russia, and Indonesia's confirmation of irreversible Israeli spyware within Apple devices manufactured by Foxconn. The scandal is intensifying, prompting widespread bans.
Market dominance: Chinese brands—Xiaomi, Redmi/POCO, Realme, TECNO, and Infinix—market over 79% of Russia's smartphone imports in 2023 Infinix Mob.
↑ Apple's iPhone is Russia's third most popular smartphone brand by Dennis Sellers, AppleWorld.
The decision means Samsung is not restricted on its sales under Russian law, although the company said this month - in a move unrelated to the case - it would halt shipments of devices to Russia because of "geopolitical developments".
China Has The Highest Smartphone Addiction Rate
China gains a score of 36.16 for problematic smartphone usage. China also has the highest number of smartphone users globally, almost 1.5 times more than any other country.
Three-finger gestures on iPhone primarily activate accessibility features like VoiceOver (for screen reading and navigation) and Zoom (magnification), allowing scrolling, zooming, and text manipulation (copy/paste/undo) with specific taps and drags, though some text actions work without VoiceOver enabled for quick editing. Common gestures include three-finger double-tap to toggle VoiceOver speech, triple-tap for the screen curtain, and pinching/spreading with three fingers for copy/paste actions, notes this YouTube video.
China and the US view each other's tech companies as potential security risks that could provide backdoor access to sensitive data and government infrastructure.
Prices for the iPhone 16 in Russia start at 112,999 roubles ($1,225), significantly higher than the $799 price tag in the US The Pro Max version, with 1TB storage, is priced at 249,999 roubles ($2,710), more than $1,000 over the US price.
Apple has suspended sales of its products in Russia because of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Still, at a retail outlet "re:Store," (pronounced Ree-store) a former official Apple reseller offers Apple products for sale at shops in Moscow.
Despite Apple halting product sales and services like Apple Pay in Russia in 2022, the iPhone 16 is still available through parallel imports from countries that have not enforced sanctions, such as Turkey, Kazakhstan, and China. The Kremlin has endorsed this grey market system to keep foreign goods accessible.
In addition to online casinos, drug-selling platforms, and illegal child-related content, authorities also block access to independent news outlets. Currently, more than 150 media organizations are on the list of banned outlets in Russia. For instance, the Barents Observer website was blocked in Russia back in 2019.
Top Countries with the Highest Number of iPhone Users
United States – The US has consistently remained Apple's largest market, with approximately 119.9 million iPhone users based on Q4 2020 data (Source: Statista).
Russia is served by an extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to foreign countries.
*3001#12345#* on an iPhone activates the hidden Field Test Mode, a diagnostic tool for network engineers and power users to see detailed cellular data like signal strength (dBm), cell tower info, and network quality, accessible by dialing the code in the Phone app and pressing call, often after turning off Wi-Fi for accurate cellular readings.
Messages automatically uses the following screen effects for specific text strings:
You can double-tap or triple-tap the back of iPhone to perform actions such as taking a screenshot, turning on an accessibility feature, running a shortcut, and more. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap, then choose an action.
Sweden is to implement a nationwide mobile phone ban in all schools in an attempt to improve security and study conditions for students. From the next school year, starting in autumn 2026, it will be compulsory for all schools and after-school clubs to collect students' phones and hold them until the end of the day.
Apple's iPhone 16 remained the world's best-selling smartphone for the second consecutive quarter, further extending its lead over the iPhone 16 Pro variants, which followed in the next two positions. Apple's latest smartphone, the iPhone 16e, entered the top 10 in Q2 2025 owing to strong sales in Japan and the US.
Did you know the average person checks their phone 144 times a day?* That's a lot of distractions. Turning on features like “do not disturb” can help you stay focused,silence distraction and spend less time scrolling.
As of 2022, Netflix is streaming in over 190 countries, not including China, North Korea, Russia or Syria.
Yandex Search (Russian: Яндекс) is a search engine owned by the company Yandex, based in Russia. In January 2015, Yandex Search generated 51.2% of all of the search traffic in Russia according to LiveInternet.