Why You Should Change Your Apple ID Region in the Current Russian Context
This text explains in detail why we recommend changing the region for Russian Apple ID accounts and why it is better to do it sooner rather than later.
In recent years, Russian Apple ID accounts have become less than fully functional. They continue to work and even allow purchases, but, as the saying goes, the devil is in the details:
- Access restrictions due to external factors
Do you love Netflix? Have you taken courses on Coursera? Listened to audiobooks on Storytel? These and many other apps are no longer available in the Russian App Store. According to analytics services, tens of thousands of useful apps have disappeared from the Russian app store. Listing them all is impossible — such a list would turn into a multi-volume guide to unavailable mobile apps in Russia. Meanwhile, all these apps remain accessible in the App Store in other countries.
- Roskomnadzor — an internal reason to change your Apple ID region
Let’s say you read content on Medium or need access to another service that Roskomnadzor deemed "dangerous" and blocked for users with Russian IP addresses. Your first solution might be to install a VPN. It seems like the problem is solved, but in reality, it's not.
Roskomnadzor is actively requesting the removal of VPN apps from the Russian App Store, and Apple complies with these demands rather easily. Many users have already faced the issue of their favorite VPN app disappearing from the store, leaving them unable to purchase a subscription or update the app. This forces users to search for new solutions, turning the process into an endless cycle. Moreover, other "undesirable," but essential apps for users, may also be at risk of being blocked.
- The risk of your devices being "bricked"
Sanctions! You may think they don’t affect you, and until recently, we thought the same. However, the September sanctions package has affected ordinary Russian citizens. It states that providing IT services to Russian citizens is prohibited. And what is the App Store? It’s a service that allows users to select and download mobile apps. Will Apple comply with this? It’s quite possible, given their commitment to following the law.
Imagine being the owner of an Apple device, possibly the latest model... and suddenly, your device loses the ability to download or update apps. Unlike the EU, where alternative sources for distributing mobile apps are permitted, Russia doesn’t offer such options. Your iPhone turns into a basic "feature phone" with a touchscreen! This scenario isn’t too far-fetched, is it?
What should you do next?
No one knows what will happen next, but we recommend not delaying the decision to create an alternative Apple ID account. It might become more difficult or even impossible in the future.
We will soon publish materials with step-by-step instructions on how to do this as easily as possible in the current situation. Stay tuned for updates!