Apple's new flagship smartphone iPhone6s is set to be rolled out in the domestic market earlier than expected, fueling a fierce competition among the nation's three mobile operators.
American smartphone maker Apple recently announced on its website that it would launch its marquee smartphones iPhone6s and iPhone6s Plus on the Korea's market. The price is set to be a little higher than its previous models. A 16GB iPhone 6S will be sold for 920,000 won, and 64GB and 128GB will sell for 1.06 million won and 1.2 million won each.
The premium model 16GB iPhone6s Plus will be available for 1.06 million won and 64GB and 128GB will be at 1.2 million won and 1.34 million won respectively. They will come in four colors including silver, gold, space gray and rose gold.
With Apple set to launch its flagship smartphone, a fierce competition is to be waged with local smartphone makers Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, which also recently rolled out their premium phones. The two nation’s largest electronics firms have continued to lower their factory price amid the growing saturated phone market.
Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note5 was launched at a price of 899,800 won in August. It was the first time the price of Galaxy Note was rolled out at 800,000 won level. Its arch rival LG Electronics’ new phone V10 was also sold for 799,700 won. Although V10 was dubbed as a super-premium phone with higher performance, the company lowered its factory price to 700,000 won level.
Industry watchers have a mix view of the pouring out of new smartphone in the sluggish local phone market. "The massive roll-out of premium smartphones can be a shot to the local smartphone market, which has been sluggish since the implementation of the Telecom Act," said a market observer.
However, others say that even the roll-out of the premium phones will be insufficient to boost the smartphone market as most consumers already began to turn to budget phones after the Telecom Act.
