Bloomberg is reporting that despite their effort to shun Apple’s iPhone, the Russian mobile carriers are coming around to the realization that they can’t live without the iPhone.
Despite selling 1.57 million iPhones in the country, none of the top three Russian wireless carriers were selling their iPhone before the middle of 2013.
“Apple wanted carriers in Russia to cover the costs of subsidizing and promoting the iPhone, like they do in the U.S. and other developed markets,” Ilya Khrennikov reports for Bloomberg. “However, Russia has laws preventing phone companies from discounting devices in exchange for longer contracts. Wireless operators in the country deemed Apple’s terms, which included minimum sales requirements, to be too onerous.”
According to the report, Apple forced the Russian carriers’ hands by selling older iPhone 4 and 4s models priced below $500 through electronic stores in the country.
“Apple’s plan B did the trick. Carriers have begun restoring ties with Apple in the past few months. MegaFon resumed its contract to sell iPhones last month after a three-year hiatus. Mobile TeleSystems and VimpelCom brought iPhones back to their shelves in October,” the report said.
iPhone sales in the country will reportedly grow further this year as Apple’s last big BRIC market comes to grip with the fact that people want iPhones.
