Apple yanks Russian state owned media outlet apps for most of the world, limits Apple Pay in country

By Matt Collins Article may include affiliate links

Apple has joined a growing list of companies that are implementing unofficial “sanctions” against Russia.

The RT and Sputnik News apps have been removed from the App Store for the entire world except Russia. RT is a state owned channel, while Sputnik is a state run news agency. Both outlets have been accused of pro-government bias and disseminating propoganda.

The company says it’s stopped selling physical items, including iPhone, Macbook, Apple Watch to Russian addresses. Trying to purchase these items through the digital Apple Store shows them as being “unavailable.”

It is no longer exporting items in the country either.

Along with those changes, it’s also stopped letting Russian based devices use Apple Maps’ live traffic and incident reporting for Ukraine, a move it says is based on safety for the Ukrainian people.

Apple Pay is also being “limited” for Russian users. Anecdotal reports appear to confirm that at least some customers are having trouble paying with the service, though it’s entirely clear how extensive the block is.

None of Apple’s actions are linked to any official governmental sanctions, but rather voluntary actions decided on at the corporate level.