Apple took the lead in deciding to stop selling products in Russia in response to Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, analysts said, putting pressure on other smartphone makers to follow Apple’s lead What about Russia’s discontinuation of products?
Apple’s move “absolutely” puts pressure on rivals such as Samsung to make the same decision, Ben Wood, principal analyst at research firm CCS Insight, said on Wednesday. “It’s important that they make this statement,” Wood said, referring to Apple. “They’re leading the way in that.” He added that some of Apple’s competitors are selling quite well in Russia. Samsung has yet to comment.
Apple’s move “may force other companies to follow suit,” said Anshel Sag, principal analyst at consultancy Moor Insights and Strategy. Given that Russia is not a major market for Apple, the move is unlikely to have a significant impact on the company, Wood said. “Their business is large and therefore very resilient. For them, losing that revenue is not going to be catastrophic for the business,” Wood said.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on Wednesday urged Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony PlayStation divisions to stop supporting the Russian market and “temporarily freeze all Russian and Belarusian accounts.”