MacBook is masked with activation – Kommersant FM
[ad_1]
Already activated MacBooks have begun to be sold in Russia. Izvestia drew attention to the availability of such Apple equipment at retailers. Corresponding warnings appeared, for example, on the MacBook Air 15 model released this year. Buyers are informed that the model “may have been activated before sale,” but there was no linking to any Apple ID account, so the product is sold as new. The initial activation is carried out so as not to arouse suspicion among the US authorities, the publication’s sources note. According to their estimates, no more than 25% of sellers import laptops into Russia in this way.
At the same time, in the spring of 2022, activated iPhones also appeared on marketplaces and in some Russian networks. This is probably due to foreign counterparties who are afraid of secondary sanctions, says Sergei Vilyanov, leading analyst at the Fintech Lab accelerator:
“Some countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, are afraid that the sellers themselves will fall under US sanctions. And in order to get around these restrictions, they unpack the box with the MacBook, turn it on, turn it off and sell it. That is, in fact, no activation occurs, it is an imitation of use.
Now they also sell cars with a mileage of 30 km. This is a feature of the UAE, one of the main suppliers; this is not done anywhere else. The warranty still comes from the seller, some give it a year, some even three. Apple does not support servicing for models released after the second half of 2022.
Is there a risk of blocking such devices from the manufacturer? There were no precedents. Even people who have fallen under personal sanctions, some of whom I know personally, continue to use all Apple technology perfectly. I will assume that the corporation from Cupertino is not very interested in such tricks.”
Large electronics networks told Kommersant FM that they do not sell already activated Apple equipment. As a rule, this is done by small retailers who transport gadgets in small quantities, explains Sergei Kuznetsov, editor-in-chief of itzine.ru and author of the ForGeeks podcast:
“Both large companies and people who carry equipment in trunks are now engaged in deliveries and sales. Small sellers are not afraid of anything, but big players do such things, fearing interaction with structures that may be subject to sanctions.
Large companies may continue to disguise their products. Everything will depend on the market situation, sanctions pressure and the country through which the equipment is imported.
This scheme allows him to avoid sanctions, but, on the other hand, some will be unpleasant that someone previously held his new mobile phone and MacBook in his hands and did something with them. As for disabling, Apple can do this, as can manufacturers of Android gadgets. But I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
At the end of 2022, some Russians complained that Apple equipment stolen abroad appeared on sale at retailers. Kommersant FM learned about at least one similar case: a resident of Irkutsk then spent 200 thousand rubles. on MacBook. A few days later, the device was blocked, and a message appeared on the screen that it belonged to an American company and was wanted.
Everything is clear with us – Telegram channel “Kommersant FM”.
[ad_2]
Source link