
Russia is laying down the law when it comes to classifying the iPad within consumer electronics. According to Russia's national customs agency, the iPad should be reclassified as a personal computer.
And so it has.
From now on, Russia makes no distinction between personal computers and iPads. What's behind the move? Money.
The change is going to help Russian customers save some. Previously, iPad buyers weren't spared the additional 5% import tax that applied to sales of the Apple tablet.
Russia scrapped a 5 percent import duty on Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPad after classifying it as a computer rather than a GPS-navigation device, Vedomosti reported, citing an order by the country’s customs service.
Basically, Russia is adding to the deep divide between research groups which can't decide whether to lump the iPad into market data tracking PC sales. With the iPad included, global PC sales look healthy. Without the iPad, the PC market looks pretty dismal.
Source: Bloomberg
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