2 months ago
Russia has closed a loophole that allowed its citizens to salary for Apple integer services. "As of April 1, 2026, costs processing is nary longer disposable for purchases made connected nan App Store aliases different Apple Media Services successful Russia," nan institution wrote successful a support document (via 9to5Mac).
The alteration affects each Apple services. However, nan institution says iCloud+ subscribers' information will stay disposable aft their subscriptions end, moreover aft losing premium unreality storage. Customers' erstwhile purchases will still beryllium accessible, arsenic will existing Apple Account costs until they tally out.
Why is Russia doing this? Well, nan (state-aligned) Russian news outlet RBC reported that authorities officials said it was to forestall users from paying for VPN apps. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that nan state has stepped up its onslaught connected nan services arsenic portion of its "great crackdown" connected online accusation and speech. By mid-January, it had reportedly blocked 70 percent much VPN apps than precocious past year.
With Russia's warfare pinch Ukraine now successful its 5th year, Putin's authorities apparently wants to statement up home support nan measurement autocrats do: by limiting entree to information. (VPNs let Russians to circumvent nan country's strict online censorship.) The country’s crackdown has besides included blocking WhatsApp, slowing down Telegram and many times jamming mobile internet successful Moscow.
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