Russia dumps the iPhone, plays favorites with Samsung

Jesse

Posts: 358   +42

Each of the three major wireless carriers in Russia, MTS, MegaFon, and now VimpelCom, have opted to stop selling the Apple iPhone, citing tough contractual requirements as the cause.

VimpelCom, the last of the major Russian carriers to separate from Apple, says it has put Samsung on the top of the list for smartphone manufacturers to promote, second only to its own BeeLine brand, reports Rethink Wireless.

VimpelCom said that it decided to drop Apple because of their “draconian contracts” and “harsh conditions... especially in the marketing department,” Dmitry Ryabinin, chief analyst for Russian Hi-Tech told PhoneArena.

The decision may also have been influenced by Vimplecom’s recent deal with Samsung, who reportedly offered the wireless company much more favorable terms. This comes as another blow to Apple in the ongoing global battle with Samsung.

Apple’s market share in Russia is slowly falling; it’s decreased from 9% in Q1 2012, to 8.4% in Q1 2013. There is now only one retail store that carries iPhone’s, but Apple is preparing to open it’s own chain of Apple Stores in Russia soon. In addition to the brick and mortar stores, Apple launched the official online Apple Store in Russia on June 26.

Like in other developing countries, the iPhone is seen as more than just a phone, it's also a status symbol. With 143 million people, Russia is expected to surpass the United States in 2018 as one of the world’s top smartphone markets, along with Brazil, China, and India, and is definitely not a market that Apple wants to get cut out of.

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Deserves apple right, don't get me wrong, the iphone is an awesome phone, but that alone can not/should not/will not make you be a great company. I have long used iPhone and tried other companies offerings over the last couple years and can say the iPhone is better then any crap Samsung can put out and their "draconian" horrible additions to the beautifully done 4.2.2. This is being said from someone who went from 3gs-4-HTC8X-2sX-G3-Note 2, and now onto the best phone I have ever owned - Nexus 4. I hope the Russian market sees how great Android can be with stock 4.2.2 on Nexus devices. Feel sorry that they have to deal with Touch Wiz.
 
Interesting to see this happen just 2 weeks after Apple launched its Russian online shop www.apple.ru

Probably they were anticipating it, and hope that presence of the official Apple online shop in Russia will change things in their favor...
 
Sometimes apple needs to be whipped once in a while. love some of their products, but can't take their stuck up attitude.
 
To be anti-apple about these things is...well...dumb. You very likely wouldn't have your Nexus being half of what it is for twice the price if it wasn't for Apple's impressive contribution to this technology. If you feel Apple's phone is over-priced or their policies aren't what you prefer then buy something else. But don't shoot yourself in the foot by wanting to kill the primary force that keeps the rest of the industry having to innovate and keep prices down.
 
But don't shoot yourself in the foot by wanting to kill the primary force that keeps the rest of the industry having to innovate and keep prices down.
I think you have it backward. From what I've seen Apple would love to sell their iPhone for 2K. But yet the rest of the industry doesn't allow for Apple to do so. So no Apple is not the primary force keeping prices down. How else go you think Apple keeps a status quo, among groups as being the wealthiest?
 
If other phone manufacturers priced their gear the same as Apple, they'd go out of business. If they could, they would. Apple still provides the highest ROI for quality, support and longevity. Many are still happy with the iPhone 3 and iPad 1 they bought years ago and they still fetch a decent price second hand. Other manufacturer's phones are practically obsolete the day they are purchased with newer models churned out so quickly after and rarely an OS update - if ever. Without Apple, you can bet they'd be asking top dollar for these throwaways.
 
Apple builds the best quality and doesn't allow wireless bloatware to be installed. I can resell my old iPhone for the price I bought it at. I'm tired of apple haters. If you want a good quality product with high resell value you buy a iPhone or you but something cool but worthless in the long run. Your choice. See what choice Russia is making. Most Americans are smarter apperarently.
 
drjekel_mrhyde said:
I can't see how Russia will be a bigger market than the US , with Russia's low birth rate
you didn't factor russian bears
windmill007
that is bcuz iPhone havent changed in years, same old crap hardware, while android refresh every half year, gives you many choices, you can buy $100 budget offering or buy $600 beast that'll wipe floor with Iphone, and as to os iOS is like android 1.6 but with lots of apps since it came 1st
oh and we'r talking about retail price not contract right?
 
Apple builds the best quality and doesn't allow wireless bloatware to be installed. I can resell my old iPhone for the price I bought it at. I'm tired of apple haters. If you want a good quality product with high resell value you buy a iPhone or you but something cool but worthless in the long run. Your choice. See what choice Russia is making. Most Americans are smarter apperarently.


Well I have posted this before...it is still 100% true.

http://dummr.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/why-apple-sucks-26-concise-reasons/

So...yeah I will stick with my Samsung device, thank you.
 
Apple builds the best quality and doesn't allow wireless bloatware to be installed. I can resell my old iPhone for the price I bought it at. I'm tired of apple haters. If you want a good quality product with high resell value you buy a iPhone or you but something cool but worthless in the long run. Your choice. See what choice Russia is making. Most Americans are smarter apperarently.

I guess we're all entitled to our opinions no matter how obtuse.
 
Apple builds the best quality and doesn't allow wireless bloatware to be installed. I can resell my old iPhone for the price I bought it at. I'm tired of apple haters. If you want a good quality product with high resell value you buy a iPhone or you but something cool but worthless in the long run. Your choice. See what choice Russia is making. Most Americans are smarter apperarently.


Well I have posted this before...it is still 100% true.

http://dummr.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/why-apple-sucks-26-concise-reasons/

So...yeah I will stick with my Samsung device, thank you.

Thanks for a good laugh. I'm not saying Apple is everything. Just saying their phones are reliable and hold resell value. The Apps are the best and don't contain malware like Android software because Apple checks them out. So we don't have as many apps. Who cares I only want the best anyways. Also I don't want Verizon bloatware on my phone...iPhone doesn't have that. Do I care about having the fanciest phone? No, that's low on my features list but the iPhone is still pretty top notice even if it's not the biggest,fastest phone out their. If that's what you want and don't care about resell value...Then yes...Android could be a good phone for you. But don't kid yourself. There is nothing wrong or evil about the iphone compared to androids. I'm just stating the facts.
 
Apple builds the best quality and doesn't allow wireless bloatware to be installed. I can resell my old iPhone for the price I bought it at. I'm tired of apple haters. If you want a good quality product with high resell value you buy a iPhone or you but something cool but worthless in the long run. Your choice. See what choice Russia is making. Most Americans are smarter apperarently.


Well I have posted this before...it is still 100% true.

http://dummr.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/why-apple-sucks-26-concise-reasons/

So...yeah I will stick with my Samsung device, thank you.

Thanks for a good laugh. I'm not saying Apple is everything. Just saying their phones are reliable and hold resell value. The Apps are the best and don't contain malware like Android software because Apple checks them out. So we don't have as many apps. Who cares I only want the best anyways. Also I don't want Verizon bloatware on my phone...iPhone doesn't have that. Do I care about having the fanciest phone? No, that's low on my features list but the iPhone is still pretty top notice even if it's not the biggest,fastest phone out their. If that's what you want and don't care about resell value...Then yes...Android could be a good phone for you. But don't kid yourself. There is nothing wrong or evil about the iphone compared to androids. I'm just stating the facts.

No, not facts, claims, assumptions and opinions :)
 
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