Big Pricetag for Russians Who Want Smuggled iPhone 5S
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Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — The new iPhone 5s may be getting a big ol “meh” from critics, but having the latest model is still a status symbol in Russia, and they’re going for big bucks on their first day of sale.
The new phones won’t be on sale in Russia for several more months, and that means that, once again, smugglers are buying them in the U.S. and Europe and flying them over.
At one online store, the basic 16GB model is going for over $1,300 plus a $10 delivery fee, double what it costs in the U.S. for an unlocked version.
But it’s a steal compared to last year, when the iPhone 5 went on sale on the Russian black market for over $2,200 on their first day.
ABC News contacted several stores that say they’re getting lots of calls for pre-orders and they expect a couple dozen as early as Friday evening. The most popular color: the new gold model.
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