At Long Last, Apple Launches iPhone in S Korea

Saturday, November 28, 2009

South Korea has to be one of the last industrialized Asian country to get the iPhone. But despite its late entry, South Korea greeted the iPhone launch with excitement as pre-orders approach 65,000 units.

65,000 preordered units is huge when considering that S Korea have only sold about 400,000 LG and Samsung smart phones to date. Of course, the iPhone may change that number really quickly as Apple has been known to convert non-smart phone users into iPhone owners. Considering the fact that South Korea has some 47 million cell phone users, Apple has a good chance to greatly change and perhaps even dominate the cell phone market in S Korea.

It took Korea so long to get the iPhone because of a government policy that protects local handset makers. In April, South Korea lifted a rule that forced mobile phones sold locally to use a home-grown platform, opening the market to more foreign models. Prior to the change, major cell phone makers such as Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson, as well as Apple, has largely avoided the Korean market due to this rule.

Apple’s entry price to South Korea isn’t too bad. A 32 GB iPhone 3GS sold by KT corp, selling for $317 on a $38 per month two-year contract and free with a $112/month contract is a relative bargain. As a response to Apple’s entrenchment into its homeland, Samsung has been reported to lowered prices on some models in what looks like the start of a smartphone price war.

South Korea is looking to be a major money maker for Apple. But South Korean consumers will be the real winners as they enjoy the superior user interface and web applications the iPhone has to offer.

Via CNNMoney

This is a post by The Apps Machine.