Apple’s becoming more aggressive in race against Samsung

Sep 23, 2016 10:34 GMT  ·  By

Samsung has become Apple’s main competitor in the mobile phone industry and the South Korean firm even managed to beat iPhone sales with the Galaxy S7, but neither is willing to give up and Cupertino is planning a surprise move.

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Apple is considering several locations for its first official Korean store in order to benefit from the growing demand for smartphones locally, and it looks like the company wants to pick a site that’s literally just across the street from Samsung’s official headquarters.

At the moment, the South Korean mobile business is dominated by Samsung and LG, the same report adds, with the two companies holding a combined market share of no less than 80 percent. The rest of the companies, including Apple, power the remaining 20 percent of phones.

Opening by this time next year

Apple, however, had a hard time expanding in the region because of the lack of stores, and sales in South Korea were possible exclusively with third-party stores and retailers who imported iPhones in the country.

While there are no details on when exactly Apple aims to open the new store, rumor has it that the company wants to start selling devices in the country by the end of the year in order to benefit from the growing demand for iPhone 7, its latest model launched on September 7 and is now going on sales across the world in the largest markets.

On the other hand, there are sources claiming that Apple would need more than a year to get the store ready, so the next iPhone could be the first one to be sold officially in the country by Apple.

It remains to be seen if Apple is willing to go as far as opening a store just next to Samsung’s headquarters, but it’s very clear that Cupertino no longer sees the South Korean firm as a regular phone manufacturer, but as a strong rival that has what it takes to beat the iPhone.