Queues for the opening of the Apple Hongdae retailer.
For the primary time for the reason that iPhone 3GS, South Korea might get the iPhone 16 in September, concurrently the US.
Apple’s smartphone launches are likely to include day-one gross sales in just a few key territories, with others arriving within the weeks that observe. For South Korea, this tends to be a launch weeks, or perhaps a month, after many different main markets.
For 2024, that might change. In response to sources of The Korea Instances, Apple is bringing the discharge in South Korea ahead. Doubtlessly making it one of many preliminary launch nations for the brand new iPhone fashions.
One trade official mentioned that preparations are underway for the iPhone launch. Nonetheless, attributable to Apple’s tradition of secrecy and of minimal communications with telecom companions, carriers can not verify launch dates earlier than Apple makes its official announcement.
Present hypothesis is that the launch of the iPhone 16 may happen on September 10.
One other spoken to by the report mentioned that the early launch “remains at the stage of a likely rumor,” admitting that it’s nonetheless “hard to predict” till Apple’s launch.
The delay in South Korea has beforehand been attributed to some components, together with Apple’s confidentiality insurance policies. Nonetheless, Apple additionally has to deal with Korea’s certification system.
The Nationwide Radio Analysis Company discloses info on new gadgets via its web site. Submitting the iPhone to testing via the NRRA may imply specs leak forward of the launch.
Whereas the danger of regulatory disclosure is current, Apple might push ahead with a South Korean preliminary launch because it’s seeing good progress within the area. Within the fiscal 12 months ending September 2023, Apple noticed a 550% improve in working revenue over the earlier 12 months.
South Korean customers aged underneath 30 additionally tend to purchase an Android machine, then half swap over to the iPhone.
Apple additionally opened a retailer in Gangnam in March 2023 and in Hongdae in January 2024, giving customers within the nation extra alternative to work together with the model.
Nonetheless, Apple’s existence in South Korea is not with out troubles. Discover My curiously would not work within the nation attributable to native legal guidelines.
There may be additionally the ever-present dominance of native tech large Samsung within the nation to deal with.