The Russian Parliament passed legislation banning the sale of certain devices that did not preinstall Russian-made software. This bill is scheduled to take effect in July 2020 and will be applied to smartphones, computers and smart TVs.
It is pointed out that if this law is enforced, it is possible to ban smartphones that will be released next summer, especially the Apple iPhone. Proponents of the bill argue that the aim is to promote Russian technology and make the products purchased by their own people easier to use. One of the bill submitters says that most of the complex electronics purchases come pre-installed with Western apps, and may think there is no alternative in Russia, but if you provide them with pre-installed and Russian apps, you have the right to choose. In other words, to announce the existence of Russian-made apps, they must be pre-installed together.
However, according to foreign media, the law is being criticized by Russian manufacturers and sellers. RATEK, an association of consumer electronics industry, also says that there is a possibility that foreign companies will leave the Russian market as some devices cannot pre-install Russian-made software.
There are also voices of concern that Russian-made software could be used to monitor users. Russia has been strengthening internet regulations for the past five years, and President Putin signed an internet quarantine bill in May, causing strong opposition from free organizations and the people.
It is also estimated that a closed system like Apple’s iOS will be less likely to provide an iPhone with Russian software preinstalled. Apple has already installed a server for data storage in Russia at the request of Russian authorities. Such information is encrypted and secured, but there is a possibility of being forced to provide user data at the request of the government under Russian counter-terrorism law.
In the midst of this, Tim Cook said he did not know the local laws that conduct business when removing 700 VPN applications at the request of the Chinese authorities. none.
As of last October, Apple is ranked third in the Russian market after Samsung Electronics and Huawei. Interest is focused on whether to compromise to protect the market or refuse to install the app and withdraw the application by prioritizing the principle of personal importance. Related information can be found here .