From what I have heard the prices go up in Brazil and India are special cases because the governments mandate local parts and manufacturing. Their goal was never about cheaper electronics, rather to subsidize local expertise. The Apple cut is the same on a now more expensive item.
Those that smuggle devices often experience unhappiness about how they cannot get warranty repairs for foreign purchased phones because repairs must be made with more expensive locally manufactured parts and Apple refuses to eat the difference. I have heard there are papers that can be used to prove foreign phones can use foreign parts without fees, but the local shops/repair depots are unwilling/untrained to help process that paperwork (and the replacements need even more time to be imported).
Even when repairs were authorized shipping and parts issues would take weeks. And no home shipping because issues finding trustworthy delivery so often six hour drive to the store often to be refused service or have to drive six hours weeks later. I am sure Apple could smooth out these issues (and hopefully has) but a lot of the issues likely arose from being cautious to avoid extreme fines.
I would rate both those countries as near Russia on how fun it is to own an Apple product in need of repair. (Samsung I have heard does not have the same issues is the same region).
Those that smuggle devices often experience unhappiness about how they cannot get warranty repairs for foreign purchased phones because repairs must be made with more expensive locally manufactured parts and Apple refuses to eat the difference. I have heard there are papers that can be used to prove foreign phones can use foreign parts without fees, but the local shops/repair depots are unwilling/untrained to help process that paperwork (and the replacements need even more time to be imported).
Even when repairs were authorized shipping and parts issues would take weeks. And no home shipping because issues finding trustworthy delivery so often six hour drive to the store often to be refused service or have to drive six hours weeks later. I am sure Apple could smooth out these issues (and hopefully has) but a lot of the issues likely arose from being cautious to avoid extreme fines.
I would rate both those countries as near Russia on how fun it is to own an Apple product in need of repair. (Samsung I have heard does not have the same issues is the same region).