The iPhone is headed to Seoul
South Korea could be getting Apple's smartphone as early as next week
Image: iPhonAsia.com
According to wire service reports, government regulators finally cleared the way Wednesday for the launch of Apple's iPhone in South Korea.
The Korean Daily News reported Wednesday that KT Corp. (KTC) — the country's second-largest carrier — plans to start taking Internet orders for the iPhone on Thursday and begin sales on Nov. 28.
South Korea's largest carrier, SK Telecom (SKM), is said to to be in talks with Apple (AAPL) about selling the phone to their customers.
With 47 million mobile phone users and two of the world's largest cell phone manufacturers — Samsung and LG — South Korea boasts a vibrant wireless culture. Its capital, Seoul, is chock-a-block with Internet cafés, wireless hotspots and gaming areas (called "pc baangs") on nearly every corner.
Despite all that, South Korea is not the world's leader in terms of cell phone ownership — not by a long shot. According to the most recent survey at NationMaster.com, that distinction belongs to the United Arab Emirates, whose citizens carry, on average, a stunning 1.71 mobile phones apiece. By that measure, South Korea's .887 cell phones per capita puts them in 63th place worldwide. [More recently, the AP put South Korea's per capita mobile ownership at 93%.]
Qatar and Israel, two countries on Apple's "coming soon" list, are Nos. 6 and 7 in Nation Master's rankings, with 1.39 and 1.38 cell phones per capita respectively.
UPDATE: Dan Butterfield, who covers the Pacific Rim wireless market at iPhonAsia.com, suggests that the event next week might less than a full-fledged launch. Posting from China, he writes:
"There have been at least two previous reports of Apple’s imminent iPhone launch in South Korea in partnership with KT. Perhaps the third time is the charm? According to JoonAng Daily, KT plans to host an iPhone launch event on Nov. 28. The actual launch is rumored to be sometime in early December." (link)
[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]
Strange as it may seem given the reputation for Korea's advanced internet backbone, but according to IDC Korea, mfrs only sold 296k smartphones in Korea last year, and estimates are for 300k this year. And, 530k units the year after. Gaining 20% of the Korean smartphone market, is only about 1200 units a week at that rate. Hardly a drop in Apple's bucket.
Your statistics on phones in Korea are out of date and somewhat misleading, I suspect. MSNBC gives a figure of 93% for 2009 (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28893283/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/), and here on the ground seems to be higher, as most people I know in Seoul carry at least one phone and trade them relentlessly for the latest model.
ex ped: Thanks. I'll make a note of that.
Randy. May I ask if you have a short position in the stock, or some other vested interest in seeing Apple stumble? Why else do you watch the stock price and visit this link?
I have 3 computers at my house. 2 Dells and 1 lenovo. I was a microsoft access programmer and now a bank regulator. I own an iPhone and switched from Verizon to AT&T i order to obtain it. We have 4 ipods at our house not counting iPhone.
In short, I am no inherent apple fan boy..but what Apple has done with their products is just amazing. They have entered into some of the highest barrier to entry markets and become the leader. The touch wheel on the iPod revolutionized the ability to access any selection in an entire music library in a few easy clicks. The iTunes is so easy I just frigg'n buy my music from there whenever I want. Sure there are other cheaper ways, but it's so easy.
I am simply fascinated by this company's ability to overcome non-technical obsticales such as licensing music rights. Any entrepenuer simply cannot help but be in awe of this company. All we do at home is word processing and surf the web, yet I will be purchasing Macs in the future for 1500-2000 and I'm no rich person. Why? I am fascinated by how this company has entered my house. The answer is that they just make it easy. The offer good products and make it easy to access them. Order online, easy setup. My kids pick up my iPhone and almost instinctively can use it.
Sorry for the long post but it is not reality distortion they create new realities by accomplishing things that were beyond consideration before they acheived it.
Randy B, perhaps you shouldn't read a news series called 'Apple 2.0'. It's quite possibly full of Apple news.
Those kids are back on your lawn again.
If you're sick of it Randy, I'd suggest a simple solution would be stop reading Apple blogs. You might find that Nokia, RIMM, Motorola and Samsung updates are reported on blogs about those platforms.
When was the last time anybody saw a news item in all the major business publications that Nokia, RIMM, Motorola, or Samsung was going to be sold in a certain country. Everything that Apple does is covered by the media to the point that I am sick of hearing about it.
@Fedman
I enjoyed reading your comments. The difference between Apple and other makers of personal digital devices is in my view Apple's focus on customer satisfaction. I believe the company sees a product purchase not as an isolated sales transaction but as the beginning or a continuation of an important customer relationship.
I do own several Apple products. But I'm not among the first in line to purchase new products when they debut. I do own a 3GS iPhone but my laptop is a 7 year-old Macintosh PowerBook that still holds its own against today's netbooks.
In my view Apple has established a product and success continuum that appeals to the imagination and provides a value to the user experience that is unmatched by competitors.
As to the topic at hand, the South Korea iPhone debut will provide insights as to appeal of a western designed product in a digitally conscious Asian economy and society.
I'm interested in the iPhone's roll out in South Korea less for information on the number of units sold and more for insights on how well this fascinating device appeals to an industrious citizenry with a language, culture and in many cases life experiences vastly different than my own.