iPhone and MacBook original spare parts have depleted in Russia

Original spare parts for iPhone and MacBook have run out in authorized Apple service centers in Russia, reports Vedomosti.

Meanwhile, authorized Apple service centers continue to operate in Russia. According to the official Apple website, there are six manufacturer repair services operating in Moscow. A representative of one of these centers confirmed that original Apple components are not available in all service centers in Russia.

iPhone 14 and 15 are not serviced in Russia, and original components for previous generations of smartphones ceased to be supplied in December 2023. He noted that until recently, there were remnants of components in Apple's warehouses, which were used to replace the "internals" of smartphones.

According to Eldar Murtazin, an analyst at the Mobile Research Group agency, service centers in Russia are currently importing Chinese spare parts for repairing Apple devices and are also dismantling old phones for repairs.

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

"Now these service centers are no different from tents at Mitinsky market," a source in the electronics manufacturing company told Vedomosti.

After the complete ban on importing iPhones, Russia only imported these smartphones totaling $389 million. They were mainly ordered from the UAE.

On February 25 of this year, the United States completely banned the export of smartphones priced over $300 to Russia. Earlier, both Apple and Samsung voluntarily ceased official deliveries of their products to Russia due to the war with Ukraine.

The schemes of parallel imports are almost indistinguishable for dual-use goods and consumer goods. A vast number of smartphones enter Russia through the "gray" market—they are not reflected in customs statistics, pass under cheaper nomenclature, or are not even cleared through customs—they are brought in by "shuttles".