'Historic Leak': Stolen M4 MacBook Pros Appear On Russian Black Market

Apple's upcoming M4 MacBook Pro has reportedly surfaced on the black market in Russia, weeks ahead of its official release. This follows leaked videos from Russian YouTubers who posted hands-on footage of the unreleased laptop. While Apple is preparing to unveil the new M4-powered MacBook Pro alongside other devices, this incident has raised serious questions about how these units have fallen into the wrong hands.Photo via YouTube // Multiple Russian tech YouTubers have now published unboxings of Apple's unreleased M4 MacBook Pro. The question is: is any of this real?

The Black Market Leak: What We Know

The M4 MacBook Pro, which is expected to launch in November, has been listed for sale at exorbitant prices on Russian classifieds sites. Reports suggest that some units have been offered for 720,000 rubles (approximately $7,500), more than five times the estimated official price in the U.S. The leak indicates a troubling reality for Apple as these devices likely originated from a stolen batch of laptops, potentially taken from a warehouse in China.

The Russian sellers are capitalizing on Apple’s exit from the Russian market, a decision made after the invasion of Ukraine. As a result, Apple products are no longer available in Russia through official channels, leading to sky-high prices on the black market. In this case, the M4 MacBook Pro, despite not even being officially announced, has become a sought-after item.

The YouTubers who posted the videos claim to have purchased the laptops from these underground channels. It is still unclear how many units have been stolen, but multiple listings suggest that a significant batch may have been pilfered.

Key Upgrades for the M4 MacBook Pro

Despite the controversy surrounding the black market leak, the videos have provided some exciting details for potential buyers eagerly awaiting the official release:

1. Increased RAM: The base model will feature 16GB of unified memory, double that of the entry-level M3 MacBook Pro. Currently, buyers have to pay an additional $200 for this upgrade on the M3 model, making the M4's price-to-performance ratio significantly better.
2. Extra Thunderbolt Ports: The base 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro will include three USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports—an improvement over the M3 version, which only featured two ports. Previously, only the higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max models came with three ports.
3. Starting Price: Assuming Apple maintains the $1,599 starting price for the base 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro, this model will offer substantial upgrades over its predecessor without a corresponding price hike.

Photo via Reddit // The M4 chip is expected to supercharge Apple's next MacBook Pro.

These confirmed upgrades, coupled with Apple's usual emphasis on performance and build quality, are expected to make the M4 MacBook Pro one of the most anticipated products of the year.

Potential Legal and Ethical Issues

For buyers, this is a clear "buyer beware" situation. Purchasing stolen goods is illegal, and in this case, it’s likely that anyone caught with one of these units could face serious legal consequences. "Nobody in their right mind should pay any of that for a MacBook of any kind," Smith rightly points out, noting the irrationality of purchasing a laptop at such inflated prices.

Moreover, the fact that these stolen units have been publicly listed raises questions about Apple’s internal security measures. The company has long been known for keeping its unreleased products under tight wraps, and this breach could mark one of the biggest security failures since the 2010 iPhone 4 prototype leak. Time will tell if Apple will address the situation, but the repercussions for those involved—whether in Russia or elsewhere—could be severe.Photo via WCCFTech // Apple fans are eagerly awaiting Apple's next MacBook Pro iteration, expected to be launched on November 1st.

A Broader Concern: Global Sanctions

The sale of these unreleased MacBook Pros also highlights the broader impact of global sanctions on tech products. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Apple stopped selling its products in the region, leaving Russian consumers reliant on the black market for high-end devices. As a result, these products often sell at inflated prices.

According to MacRumors, this leak is significant because it suggests that these laptops may have been stolen from a Chinese warehouse, smuggled across borders, and resold at five times the original value. While it’s difficult to verify the source of these claims, the presence of multiple listings on Russian classifieds sites before they were swiftly removed points to a coordinated theft operation.Photo via Apple Inc. // Some features of Apple's M4 processor, as announced by Apple.

Final Thoughts

While the leak has revealed some fascinating insights into the upcoming M4 MacBook Pro, it has also exposed serious security flaws in Apple's supply chain. This situation underscores the importance of maintaining robust security protocols in global operations, especially as tensions rise between nations like Russia and Ukraine. For now, legitimate buyers will have to wait until November to get their hands on this exciting new machine—legally.

Apple, as expected, has not commented on the leaks, leaving the tech world speculating on whether any official response will come before the planned launch event later this month.

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