Apple severs ties with Crimea-based app developers following U.S. sanctions

[Himanshu Arora]

Apple has started sending notices of termination to registered developers based in Crimea, restricting them from creating or publishing apps on the App Store, as well as accessing the developer portal.

The termination, which is effective immediately, requires the developers to cease all use of the company software and destroy all confidential information that they might have obtained as a Registered Apple Developer (RAD).

"The new sanctions on the Crimea Region announced by the US Government on December 19, 2014 and announced by the European Commission on December 18, 2014 prohibit the continuation of the RAD Agreement between you and Apple," the Cupertino-based company said in the notice.

This means that the Crimean developers will have to wait for the sanctions to be lifted in order to regain access to the developer portal and the ability to publish apps. Or, as the report suggests, they could just change their address, for example, to a Russian or a Ukranian one, and they will again be allowed to join the RAD program.

The Crimean crisis is an ongoing dispute between Ukraine and Russia over the control of the Crimean Peninsula. In March last year, Russia annexed most of the disputed region from Ukraine, resulting in economic sanctions by the United States and the European Union.

The sanctions have had a terrible effect on the Russian economy. Due to the harsh devaluation of the Ruble Apple had to close its online store in the country last month citing "extreme fluctuations" in the local currency, although the company reopened it later with inflated prices.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/59459-apple-severs-ties-crimea-based-app-developers-following.html

 

[JakeT]

I like it when Russia bleeds. I keep asking myself why though? Is it because of their arrogant and misguided attitude towards the west? Да!

 

[RustyTech]

...but has anyone been reporting just how devastating these sanctions have been for many countries in Europe? As experts point out, sanctions don't help - they NEVER help; or if they do, Cuba must be the beckon of exemplary "reform" for the last 50 years.

 

[Hexic]

...but has anyone been reporting just how devastating these sanctions have been for many countries in Europe? As experts point out, sanctions don't help - they NEVER help; or if they do, Cuba must be the beckon of exemplary "reform" for the last 50 years.

Sanctions aren't meant to help anyone - they're used by definition as a form of punishment. I have not heard of any 'devastating' effects that these specific sanctions have had on other parts of Europe - not to say it may not be happening.

One thing is for sure, it's hurting the Russian economy badly. And unless sources are provided that prove contrary - it's hurting Russia worse than anyone else. Just as it's intended to, if Russia doesn't cooperate.

And Cuba... unless you -really- like your Cuban cigars - hasn't affected anyone under the age of at least 40. They had an insane, communist leader close to the US. The rest one can read in the history books.

 

[Guest]

I can't see these sanctions devastating for european countries. There are some problems for farmers, but high tech market seems unaffected. Big companies can manage such problems, while family business in agriculture will struggle when its primary cliens says he wont buy. And that is what Russia has done - they put an embargo on our (Polish in my case) vegetables, fruits, meat, diary products etc.

And we can actually see how devastating it is for Russia - not for the regime, but for ordinary people. Lack of food they used to buy, prices increased like 30, 40% at times. Last year I used to see lots of russian cars in Gdansk (it takes like 2h to get here from Kaliningrad in RU), they came here for shopping. This year? Rarely. And people will start to be pissed off, and let's hope they have more courage to protest than they had for the last 70 years.

 

[Guest]

Due to:
- breaching the international pacts by actively supporting partisans in eastern Ukraine and sending russian troops there
- breaching NATO - Russia pact about integrity of international borders of post soviet countries
- purposely shooting down the malaysian civil airplane last year with ca 300 onboard
- destabilization of Ukraine
- hostile air activity (bombers) over baltic sea and eeast european countries
- and beeing stubborn to admit these above