iPhone price rises by 25 percent in Russia

Apple Inc. increased Russian prices for iPhones by about 25 percent starting today because of the sharp devaluation of the ruble against the U.S. dollar this fall.

An iPhone 6 with 16 gigabytes of storage now costs 39,990 rubles ($859) versus a previous price of 31,990 rubles, according to Apple’s online store in the country.

Earlier this month, Apple started advertising iPhones on Russian television to promote sales during the peak season.

Until now, Apple had refrained from raising prices even as the U.S. dollar rose by about a quarter against the ruble since Sept. 1. As a result, the Russian price for an iPhone has been Europe’s lowest at about $700, prompting tourists from other countries to buy iPhones in Moscow.

Still, downloading a Lady Gaga hit from Apple’s Russian iTunes store costs no more than it did at the start of the year.

Russians are still paying 19 rubles per song, the equivalent of 41 cents, compared with 58 cents at the start of the year.