What you need to know
- Apple is streaming its March event on Tuesday 8.
- The event appears to unavailable to viewers in Russia.
- A note on the video says the uploader has not made this video available in your country.
Update: 11:44 am ET: A source has confirmed to iMore that Apple removed the apparent geoblock on its event in Russia at around 11:30 am ET. It appears the video is now available on YouTube in Russia.
As the world tunes in to watch Apple's March event later today, viewers in Russia won't have access, as the company appears to have geoblocked the video in the country.
As noted by iPhones.ru, Apple has made the video unavailable to users in Russia. A note says that the uploader has not made the video available in your country, the standard message displayed when a video is geoblocked.
Apple did not advertise its March Event on any of its Russia web pages when it was announced, and did not contact any Russian journalists or bloggers as it has done in previous years.
There is absolutely no reference to the March #AppleEvent on its Russia website or newsroom. I also understand from a source outside Apple that Russian journos/bloggers were not contacted about the event by press for the first time in several years. pic.twitter.com/OVP8YtTYNGThere is absolutely no reference to the March #AppleEvent on its Russia website or newsroom. I also understand from a source outside Apple that Russian journos/bloggers were not contacted about the event by press for the first time in several years. pic.twitter.com/OVP8YtTYNG— Stephen Warwick (@StephenWarwick9) March 4, 2022March 4, 2022
At its event later today Apple is expected to unveil its new iPhone SE, iPad Air, and at least one new Mac and possibly a new external display.
As iPhones.ru notes, viewers can still watch by accessing the video with a VPN, however it is clear that Apple has made the decision not to show the event in the country. An iMore report last week revealed that VPN use in the country is up massively, with downloads of the top 5 apps up 2691% according to Sensor Tower.
Apple has already stopped selling its products in Russia and has de-platformed some state-sponsored media. It also recently stopped selling App Store ads in the country. From Monday:
Apple has suspended its App Store advertising business in Russia.As reported by Bloomberg, Apple has shut down its App Store Search Ads business in the country. Developers will no longer be able to run ads in the search results of the App Store due to the change.In an email to developers, the company announced that it has suspended Apple Search Ads "until further notice." Apple says that all current advertising campaigns in the country have been put on hold and no new campaigns will be able to be created.
You can read how to watch the Apple event here.
