“Apple Inc. has gained unlikely allies in its bid to boost iPhone sales: Russian smugglers,” Alex Nicholson reports for Bloomberg.
“The device isn’t sold by Cupertino, California-based Apple in Russia and it can’t be used legally on local networks. Still, about 250,000 people own one, more than any other country except the U.S. and China, according to Eldar Murtazin, chief analyst at Moscow-based Mobile Research Group,” Nicholson reports.
“That popularity has turned into a bonanza for traders who sell the phones in kiosks and on the Internet for $1,000 each, more than twice the U.S. price. Hackers say they charge as much as 2,500 rubles ($105) to ‘unlock’ them so they work locally,” Nicholson reports. “‘It’s an icon for Russians,’ said Timofei Kulikov, a lawyer and buyer of electronic products for X5 Retail Group NV, Russia’s largest supermarket chain. ‘If you see two businessmen at lunch in Moscow, they’ll both have iPhones on the table.'”
“The evolution from Web-surfing, touch-screen gadget to status symbol has been a boon for Peter Aloisson. The jeweler sold a diamond-studded iPhone encased in white gold to a Russian businessman in March for 120,000 euros and is working on a 500,000-euro ($783,000) version that may go to another Russian client,” Nicholson reports.
Much more in the full article here.
The hotline between the White House and the Kremlin is not a red phone anymore. It’s been replaced by an iPhone.
sadly Bush still can’t figure out how to answer it….
Neither can Chene…enven when it interferes with his pacemaker.
There is no why when I talk about Cheney
looks like there is also no spellcheck
@Buster – that raises the question: Why would you voluntarily talk about Cheney? I’d say, that in addition to there being no Why there’s also no real When.
Grammar Police, Grammar Police! wherefore art thou Oh! Grammar Police!
Expect to hear that Timofei Kulikov suddenly developed a cold, followed by a “snow” nap……
I guess we need “Shakespearean Grammar Police”, too!
Grammar Police, Grammar Police! wherefore art thou Oh! Grammar Police!
“WHEREFORE” in Shakespearean English means “WHY” Not Where! ;-}
See a degree in English is worth something, albeit not very much! LOL!
TT: And if you’re still looking for a Russian iPhone supplier, you should probably quit stalin and chekov Timofei Kulikov from your list.
Brazil has a pretty bunch of iPhones too!
Amp: I like how you put in those names. I bet if you trot Sky news out, and drop off the pretense, printing that would make Lenin glad.
Yuri be glad to hear I cut my mullet off. Czarry, I’ll try not to boris with any more of this bolshevik.
Apple is aware of this practice (and others similar) and has instituted a 5 phone purchase per person in their stores. This is not a one-time limit. It is five phone lifetime per person.
The manager in the local store said that they could only sell 5 phones at a time per person, and that person had to register their name as shown on the credit card to prevent further purchases.
TT: Excellent use of bolshevik! I thought you might be russian it a bit if I red that right. You could look at it from different engels but it still just feudal in the end.
“It is five phone lifetime per person.”
That could really suck. What if the sixth phone grants you total consciousness? Screw 3G. I want my gunga galunga… gunga, gunga-galunga.
Amp: I must give you good marx for the social list. I need to get with the pogrom or ural best me. However, I moscow and drop a gulag.
Sure….. A 5 phone lifetime limit…. Whatever. So I have purchased 4 for my immediate family members, that means like when Gen2 3G hits the market the rest of my family can pound sand, and only I get the new model? And that it will be the last ever iPhone I can purchase ever? I really don’t think so. That would be a very foolish position to take.
TT: Tanks. I’m no slav to it. But now uri just putin on heirs! Laika I’ve said before, it’s all about czechs and balances.
Buster, you are a big dumbass.