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Hello.
The presentation of the new iPhone 15 line was, frankly, boring; Apple didn’t raise prices; They remained at the same level in Europe and America. In the context of parallel imports, it was interesting to see what would happen to the prices of these devices in Russia. And now Russian retail has started showing them as part of pre-orders. I have written separately about presentation and boring of models, we will not repeat it here.
MTS is trying to become a retail chain that is the first to bring new smartphones to Russia; The company has done this many times with new Samsung products, and tries to be the first company to bring the iPhone. Whether or not this will work is an open question; For all players, everything depends on the speed of certification of the parties. Parallel import doesn’t just mean customs clearance; Devices must be certified. Whoever does it first will be great. Most likely we will see sales in early October, but no one is saying exact dates yet. Devices will appear increasingly on the gray market, but no real shortage is expected. The moderate lack of certain colors, the memory capacity, the lack of terrain due to not being very demanding, are all familiar with the iPhone.
Let’s look at the prices that MTS has set for the new iPhone 15 line.
- iPhone 15 128 GB – 124,990 rubles (iPhone14 128 GB – 84,990 rubles, 256 GB – 89,990 rubles);
- iPhone 15 Plus 128 GB – 139,990 rubles (iPhone 14 Plus 128 GB – 89,990 rubles);
- iPhone 15 Pro 128 GB — 154,990 rubles (iPhone 14 Pro 128 GB — 122,990 rubles);
- iPhone 15 Pro Max 256 GB — 189,990 rubles (iPhone 14 Pro Max 256 GB — 135,990 rubles);
Even compared to the previous line, the price increase seems cosmic. Of course, this is affected by the change in the ruble exchange rate, but the 14th models are also sold in such conditions, but they are not so expensive, there is a hidden increase in prices. This is also due to lack of service, device malfunction and cannot be repaired in Russia. A luxury iPhone turns into a brick; A broken screen cannot be replaced; Such repairs are not possible. Therefore, it all falls on the shoulders of the retailer, and in each case, the dance begins with a tambourine; A simple repair procedure just does not exist. Warranty is also available at retail and often involves device exchange, which affects the price; This is more, because all problems with broken devices are solved.
The lack of affordability is obvious to anyone but a small segment of Apple fans and people who are used to heating their country homes with cash; In winter they burn beautifully. The first will take a loan and go into debt to show that everything is fine with them (70% of sales of such products are installment plans and loans), the second only for small amounts like 200-250 thousand rubles. Will not pay attention to things. . But if the number of the first is decreasing, the second type remains stable, there are a thousand or two such people across the country. This market cannot be called mass.
To compare, we will focus on a single store from MTS to have equal conditions for comparison. It’s always touching how they try to compare mass retail with the gray market and Vasya Pipkin, where you don’t understand what you’re buying, but all on your luck or lack thereof. depending on. We will compare what can be compared.
Apple’s direct competitors are companies like Samsung and Huawei, the former is more popular in Russia than the latter, but their product quality is the same or better, offering models and form factors that Apple’s own. It’s like walking on the moon. It’s a shame to say, but the company hasn’t mastered flexible screens and is the only brand without such a product. And it’s so funny.
Let’s start with smartphones with flexible screens, for example, the Huawei Mate X3. Its price is 169,990 rubles (it has increased since the start of sales due to the exchange rate of 10 thousand rubles). Large flexible screen, slim body, fast charging included, 512 GB internal memory.
Apple’s closest device is the iPhone 15 Pro 128GB, which starts at 154,990 rubles. We look at the 512 GB version and get a price of 199,990 rubles. seriously? So we have a different form factor, a better set of cameras, different features and so much difference in price? Apple is trying to sell mass-emissions for the price of a real device. And nothing can justify it.
Let’s look at the Galaxy Z Fold5 prices; The price of the 512 GB model is the same 200 thousand rubles. But it’s a different form factor, not comparable to Apple’s regular model.
For some reason, many people try to compare models belonging to different classes. For example, they argue like this: Galaxy S23 is the ultra flagship, iPhone Pro Max is the older model in the line, we need to compare them. But the Ultra doesn’t have a direct competitor in the Apple line; Practically, it is a different class of model. We compared the 14 Pro Max and the S23 Ultra, Apple’s device, to put it mildly, it looks pale. He belongs to the lower class.
The price of the basic version of iPhone 15 Plus/Pro with half the memory capacity is 140 and 155 thousand rubles. Which is 60 and 75 thousand rubles more. You can buy two Huawei P60 Pros for the price of an iPhone 15 Pro. And it will be a good purchase, because the device is significantly more interesting in its capabilities, and the charger is not included in the kit.
The inadequacy of prices is determined by many factors, it does not rest exclusively on MTS; Prices for other players are more or less comparable, and may vary slightly. But they still stay within the same limits, the 15th generation turned out to be very expensive. And when they ask me a question about the possibilities, I just smile. Well, really, what are the possibilities with prices like that?
I’m sure we’ll see success reports, that once again pre-orders are breaking records, unprecedented increases in “sales”, etc. But let’s separate the PR from the real market, the other doesn’t accept such prices and it’s a huge luxury from Apple. Yes, in our country, for many people, the iPhone is still a status product. I will describe a scene that illustrates this situation well.
Two friends, one with a 14 Pro Max, the other with a Mate X3, with a cafe. Apparently we haven’t seen each other for a long time. At one point the conversation goes something like this:
– Vasya, are things going bad, do you have a strange device, is it not enough for an iPhone?
– That’s it, I like it.
– Come on, you have to make excuses, say that things are not going well.
– Well, things aren’t going well.
– Then let me close the account, I’ll be happy.
– Turn it off.
After some time, they leave the summer terrace and go to their cars. A “poor” owner of a Mate X3, with things gone wrong, gets into the latest generation Vogue, a “rich” owner of an iPhone gets into a modest KIA. The man in the KIA gets angry and looks questioningly at his friend, later throwing up his hands. A very true story about iPhone loans showing the “status” of people. Loans, installment plans and similar success simulations, because they are not visible, but the iPhone, here, is lying on the table.
But with prices so inadequate, you can expect one simple thing: the audience of new iPhone buyers will shrink. And the price of the previous generation is insufficient compared to the new products of other companies; They have no technology, just a temporary sale of air at the maximum price.
PS And I’m really looking forward to comments in the style of “they will buy them anyway”, Apple’s share in Russia has tripled in units compared to last year, so they don’t buy, rationality takes over.
