With high expectations at hand, telecommunications companies are hoping to cash in and liven up the mobile market, which became rather stagnant following Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 crisis. (image: Apple)
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – There’s now less than a day left before the Korean launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and the local mobile phone market is already expecting record success for Apple’s latest smartphones. The phones will be making their debut here at 8 a.m. on Friday.
According to industry watchers, demand for the new iPhone 7 series is unparalleled, with Korea’s big three telecommunications companies – SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus – all reporting at least twice the number of pre-orders for the new smartphones compared to their predecessors, the 6s and the 6s Plus.
Eager Apple devotees already began queueing two days ago, when 25-year-old Yoo started his three-day wait at Gwanghwamun’s KT Square on Tuesday afternoon.
“People are lining up roughly a day earlier than they did last year,” said a KT official. “There’s definitely high anticipation for the new phones.”
“People are lining up roughly a day earlier than they did last year,” said a KT official. “There’s definitely high anticipation for the new phones.” (image: Yonhap)
Although there are a considerable number of people who made multiple orders at different mobile carriers, the general market consensus is that the new series will likely be a big hit.
With high expectations at hand, telecommunications companies are hoping to cash in and liven up the mobile market, which became rather stagnant following Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 crisis.
The three carriers are providing various promotional events for potential iPhone 7 customers, offering credit card discounts, free gifts, and even exemptions on remaining installments if consumers turn in their previous smartphones to switch to the new Apple models.
The fact that more than 90 percent of Galaxy Note 7 users have yet to exchange or get a refund for their phablets is also an opportunity for Apple to attract iPhone consumers.
“There are Galaxy Note 7 users that are considering the iPhone 7 series, still hesitant with no other suitable smartphones in the market,” said a telecommunication company official. “If the new iPhones receive positive feedback from consumers, it’s likely that more Note 7 users will switch over (to iPhones).”
By Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
