Russian retailer M.Video has kicked off preregistrations for Apple’s latest gear: the iPhone 17e and the 2026 iPad Air. Pricing sets the iPhone 17e at 65,000 rubles for 256GB and 85,000 rubles for 512GB, while the iPad Air starts at 73,000 rubles for the 11-inch, 128GB model, pushing up to 110,000 rubles for the 13-inch variant with 256GB.
The 2026 iPad Air refresh brings a sizable performance leap. Powered by an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU featuring second-generation hardware ray tracing and mesh shading, it claims to outpace its predecessor by up to 30%, and chips away at M1-era models with up to 2.3 times higher performance. Memory bandwidth has been ramped up to 120GB/s across a unified 12GB RAM, highlighting Apple’s push for a pro-grade tablet experience in the Air line.
Users can pick between the 11- and 13-inch screens, with color options including blue, purple, Starshine, and Space Gray. Connectivity isn’t lagging: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, LTE, and 5G come standard, plus compatibility with Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, reinforcing its appeal as a versatile device for creativity and productivity.
The new iPadOS 26 stacks on refined multitasking with enhanced window management, better PDF handling, image editing, and audio capabilities, trying to stay in step with the latest workflows people demand on tablets.
A cautious step in Russia’s shifting tech market
Given the economic and geopolitical context, it’s no surprise that tech giants like Apple carefully price and release devices in Russia. The pricing levels, while comparable to last year’s releases, factor in currency volatility and supply chain complexities. Offering 0% interest installment plans likely aims to ease purchase friction amid ongoing uncertainties.
Apple’s incremental upgrades in the iPad Air-especially in graphics performance-signal a strategy of catering to professionals and prosumers who need portable yet powerful devices without splurging on the pricier Pro line. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17e occupies the mid-range tier, balancing storage options and price, presumably to maintain market share against Android competitors gaining ground in Russia.
While the iPad Air’s support for emerging wireless standards like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 puts it on the cutting edge for mobile connectivity, much depends on how quickly Russian infrastructure and carriers will adopt these technologies. This puzzle will influence user experience more than raw specs in the near term.
Apple’s restrained rollout here echoes broader industry caution: consumers in Russia face price pressure and shifting purchasing power, so incremental refreshes outpace full redesigns. The question remains how long Apple will keep balancing innovation with pragmatism as rivals push aggressive feature sets in the region.