Russia Wants Citizens To Use Ayya T1 Smartphone Instead Of iPhones Amid Western Sanctions​

Since President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been hit with multiple major sanctions and the government is now forced to seek local alternatives to replace global commodities like iPhones. One of these alternative local products that the Russian authorities want its citizens to use is a smartphone named Ayya T1.

The ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia has brought numerous sanctions from different nations, with the US Government urging companies across the globe to stop conducting their business in Russia.

Top Global Brands Boycott Russia Amid Ukraine Invasion

On the back of the war in Ukraine, global companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Nike, Puma, Coca-cola, McDonald's and even Visa and Mastercard have also suspended their services and business in the region. Last week, when Apple officially suspended its sales, people in Russia could no longer buy iPhones in Russia. However, it seems the Kremlin found a solution for that in the form of a smartphone called Ayya T1.

Amid the sanctions, the Russian State Ministry urged all its citizens to ditch their iPhones and start using the Ayya T1 smartphone, which is powerful and safe, as per Maria Butina, Member of the State Duma, according to her social profile.

"You know what, good gentlemen from Apple, but go through the woods! And you, my dears, become an eyewitness of the first contact of the deputy with the domestic smartphone AYYA T1," she stated during her social media address to Russians.

Furthermore, Butina also posted details regarding the Ayya T1 smartphone on her official Instagram handle and even unboxed the device as she spoke.

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A post shared by Мария Бутина (@butina_maria)

All You Need To Know About Ayya T1 Smartphone

Manufactured by a Russian company named SmartEkoSystem, the Ayya T1 smartphone is a subsidiary of a state company Rostec. As per reports, the Russian Ministry already ordered approximately 500,000 units of the Ayya T1 phone a few years ago for internal use. The smartphone cost about 15,000 Russian Ruble (roughly Rs 10,800).

Since this phone was manufactured with a special focus on the Russian government, the software Aurora OS generated by Jolla is the operating system behind the function of the device. The OS has been designed over the Android 11 version for its users. Reportedly, it is also produced to secure against any data breaches as well.

Ayya T1 device has been assembled while keeping privacy as a strong focus. The smartphone has a mechanical switch to help its users disable the microphone and camera of the phone whenever required. Also, the hardware setup includes a special LED light that warns the consumers when the camera gets turned on.

Ayya T1 comes with a 6.5-inch 60Hz display and is powered by a MediaTek Helio P70 chipset. It's packed with 64GB storage and 4GB RAM. The smart device also supports NFC and has a fingerprint reader as well.

The Ayya T1 offers a dual rear camera setup with a 5-megapixel sensor and a 12-megapixel sensor. Furthermore, it also has a 13-megapixel sensor on the front, with the phone carrying a 4000mAh battery that supports fast charging.

Going off these features, it is clear that the Ayya T1 is not very comparable with an iPhone. Its components are basic; however, the security aspect is where it seems to be strong. The ability to kill the mic and camera, along with its software prowess to prevent data hacks, is fascinating.

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