14 DAY TRIAL // Cupertino-based company Apple Inc. is expected to start selling its latest iPhone model in South Korea sometime in September, the latest news around the Internet suggests. Currently, Apple's iPhone 3GS is available in the country on the airwaves of KT Corp, the biggest telecom operator in South Korea, and the new iPhone 4 device is expected to be added to the same carrier's offering.
According to a recent article on WSJ, the news on the upcoming launch of iPhone 4 follows the receiving of approval for the handset's distribution from South Korea's telecommunications regulator. However, even if the necessary approvals were obtained, it would still take some time before the latest Apple smartphone actually makes it to the market in South Korea.
“The government's approval is just a regular procedure and it normally takes about one or two months to talk about business matters before launching any new handset device in the market,” KT spokesman Lee In-won commented on the news. “We will try our best to launch iPhone 4 sometime in September,” the official continued.
KT Corp, enjoys an exclusivity contract on the distribution of the iPhone in South Korea. Since launching the device in late 2009, the wireless carrier has sold about one million units, something that helped it gain more market share in the country. The previous iPhone model was received pretty well in the country, and the launch of Apple's new iPhone 4 should help it lure more customers on its side.
However, when compared to other new mobile phones on the South Korean market, the sales of Apple's iPhone might not be that impressive. The Android-based Samsung Galaxy S, which was released in Korea at the end of June on the airwaves of SK Telecom, already passed the 500,000 sold units mark, and might reach the one million line in the near future.