Minister promises Russians access to iPhone 14

Apple has launched its new iPhone 14 smartphone series, which includes four models. Russians can’t buy the devices through official channels because US company Apple suspended its market operations after Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

However, Trade Minister Denis Manturov promises citizens who want the smartphones will be able to buy them.

Russia manages to bring in products it no longer has access to using “parallel imports”. The mechanism is not complicated. Moscow imports these products from countries with which it has good relations, such as former Soviet satellites. The products end up up up to 20% more expensive on the Russian market.

New phones released by Apple have prices starting at $800 (the cheapest iPhone 14) and going up to $1,100 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The smartphones released on September 7 by Apple look similar to the iPhone 13 series, but come with a few new features. They include an autofocus selfie camera for the first time, and on the Pro models the main camera sensor is now 48 MP.

Also on the Pro models, for the first time on an Apple phone, is the always-on display, a technology long available on Android smartphones. What’s more, these models do away with the notch, which is replaced with an area called Dynamic Island.