New iPhone 17 unveils in Moscow, as pre-orders jump despite slowing economy

Russian resellers unveiled Apple‘s new iPhone 17 in stores on Saturday, as major retailer Restore: reported a sharp rise in pre-ordering this year.

Strong demand for Apple smartphones offers a sign that consumer demand for popular products has yet to falter in line with a wider economic slowdown in Russia. The country has seen 20-year-high interest rates and a budget deficit of over 4 trillion roubles this year.

The iPhones’ popularity in Russia has endured Apple halting sales in 2022 and suspending services like Apple Pay in the wake of Western…