August 21, 2023

First Russian Smartphone


First Russian Smartphone
The R-Fon, in all of its glory. Telegram, @appsimru

Introducing the R-Fon! Touted as the first Russian smartphone, and valued at 40,000 rubles ($426), it turns out it is actually a Chinese Linux phone worth 17,000 ($181) rubles.

Vladimir Zykov, head of the Russian Association of Professional Users of Social Networks and Messengers (APPSIM), broke the news by sharing images of the "innovation" on Telegram. Speaking to RIA Novosti, Zykov said that the forthcoming device from Rutek will cost up to 40,000 rubles and will be released in the coming year. Zykov acknowledged that production will depend on foreign components, but said the venture also employs an unprecedented level of domestic production. He underlined that the phone will proudly sport the "Made in Russia" label, marking a distinctive development in the realm of Russian technology.

“It is clear that some parts will not be made in Russia, but there have never been phones made in Russia with such localization,” Zykov said.

The details surrounding the supposed new Russian marvel were cross-checked by the Eurasian Economic Commission and their online database. Data within this registry reveal that the device's actual producer is Bopel Mobile Technology Co. Limited, its headquarters in Hong Kong.

Rutek’s registration of the phone reveals a strategic choice: not within the Russian borders, but in neighboring Kazakhstan. As pointed out by analysts at Mobiltelefon, this decision is believed to be a calculated move to evade possible sanctions.

"R-Fon," a clumsy transliteration of "R-phone," is slated to house a Media Tek Helio G99 processor and 6.7-inch display. The phone is expected to have a 50-megapixel primary camera, 8 gigabytes of RAM, 128 gigabytes of internal storage, and a robust 5000 mAh battery. Curiously, a smartphone boasting identical specifications, including a similar processor, is already available in the Russian market for a fraction of the cost of the R-Fon. For instance, the Chinese device Tecno Pova 5, with the sole distinction of a more capacious battery, retails for a modest 14,470 rubles ($150 USD), a fraction of the purported price of the "Russian phone."

You Might Also Like

iPhones Banned
  • June 27, 2023

iPhones Banned

Members of the government have been forbidden from bringing iPhones to cabinet meetings.
AI Will Watch You
  • February 13, 2023

AI Will Watch You

Russian authorities plan to use artificial intelligence to scour the interwebs for undesirable political information.
Yandexit
  • December 06, 2022

Yandexit

Russia's homegrown tech giant is collapsing under pressure from state censorship and the war in Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955