SEOUL, KOREA—This time Apple did not trim its mascot head stem for a new look, but rather grew it. The latest version of the iPhone generation has appeared with Long-Term Evolution wireless networks and a larger display.
iPhone 5 is taller with its 4 inch display and faster with an A6 chip. It rightfully deserves the praise, “A blend of beauty utility and versatility,” considering retina display, a speedier processing chip, a superior sound function, the new operating system iOS 6, more importantly, a few newly added apps, as well as other alterations. They are all deadly recipes for another Apple buying frenzy. However, it comes with a growing pain.
iPhone 5 supports LTE for communication. It is the latest and fastest way to transmit data; you may marvel at its speed up to 20 megabits per second, which is in general faster than people can experience at home. However, this new connectivity could be the slowest to settle in the market. By country and mobile carrier, LTE frequencies vary, which means Apple may separate iPhone5 production for each LTE operator.
According to One of the major English newspaper agencies, over 8.4 million people use LTE as of last month. SK Telecom is leading the pack ahead of KT. By the end of this year, LTE subscribers are expected to reach 17 million. Apple has seemingly already made a move. It reported that two of Korea’s major mobile carriers and the U.S. company have dealt with LTE support.
In Korea, major mobile carriers are bracing their LTE platforms for Apple’s impact. Next month, the taller iPhone lands in Korea. Apple added LTE frequencies of 850Mhz, 1.8GHz, and 2.1Ghz. Expectations are high for KT and SK Telecom; they are offering LTE service based on WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) 1.8GHz, 800MHz, and 1.8GHz.
KT is a late LTE bloomer. But, as the first carrier that broke iPhone loose in Korea, it is ready for a big leap with Apple’s latest mobile addition and foresees an upsurge in its LTE subscribers late this year. KT’s fastest LTE connection is rapidly expanding its customer base. SK Telecom is leading the market, and its LTE service web extends far and wide unlike its competitors. By offering VoLTE (Voice LTE) in near future, SK is likely to attract more people.
iPhone 5 could fire up the carriers that are vying for dominance. People are concerned about reigniting unregulated subsidy systems that might throw mud at the market. Dragging through the mud Isn't iPhone5 scratch-proof
