Halloween arrival for iPhone 6
Published: 15 Oct. 2014, 05:58
Announcing a Halloween treat for its loyalists, Apple announced that the long-awaited iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will finally be sold in Korea starting Oct. 31.
The three mobile carriers - SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ - will start taking pre-orders for the devices from Oct. 24.
Apple announced in a press release Monday that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will arrive in 36 additional countries and territories across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa by the end of October.
“[The] iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in a total of 69 countries and territories by the end of the month and are on track to be available in more than 115 countries by the end of the year, making this the fastest iPhone rollout ever,” Apple said.
But the local prices of the new iPhones have not been determined yet.
“We still have not received any information from Apple about the consumer prices of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in the Korean market, as well as the amount of subsidies,” said Lim Soo-wang, a public relations manager at KT.
“Those who purchase iPhones at places other than local carriers will receive a 12 percent discount on their monthly plans, according to the Mobile Device Distribution Improvement Act, and those who purchase them through mobile carriers on a two-year contract will receive subsidies, of which the amount is yet unknown.”
Although local prices have not yet been confirmed, the local mobile communications industry predicts that the iPhone 6 will cost around 800,000 won ($751) and the iPhone 6 Plus around 1 million won.
Meanwhile, the industry is waiting to see whether Samsung will expand subsidies on their latest devices, the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S5, to counter Apple. Samsung remained silent on the issue. Samsung reduced the amount of subsidies significantly to about one-third since the implementation of the new mobile device distribution law.
“Every year, before and after the launch of the iPhones, the subsidies on local smartphones increase significantly,” said an industry official. “That means iPhones are competitive products that threaten local smartphone manufacturers.
“Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are likely to expand their subsidies on the latest Galaxy Note 4 and G3 as well as the old models stacked in warehouses.”
BY KIM JUNG-YOON [kjy@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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