Apple has not developed it’s retail side in Russia like it has in other countries, instead relying on resellers to do business for them. However that could be changing.
The Moscow News reports (via 9to5Mac) that Apple is looking to start selling its products ‘without the use of middlemen’, and that it has already registered the company Apple Rus and appointed Vitaly Morozko, the local legal advisor, as director of it. This could happen as soon as 2013, it was added, and would make for a more affordable market.
The links between Apple and Russia have been increasing over the past couple of years, and Steve Jobs even got to show off the iPhone 4 in a San Jose Apple Store to non other than Dmitri Medvedev, who was President at the time.
Furthermore, back in April 2011, it was reported Apple executives including Ron Johnson had been investigating possible locations for a Moscow Apple Store.
Direct sales of Apple products in Russia should help push the sky high prices down slightly, even though Apple still charges a premium in Europe compared to the US. It will be interesting to see how quickly Apple can fully roll out and expand in Russia, as it is yet another untapped market that they can make serious dough in.