The iPhone 16 could arrive in South Korea earlier than anticipated, with Apple keen to lead customers away from Samsung in the brand’s home nation. Samsung is currently three times bigger than Apple in the region, making it one of the few worldwide where Apple isn’t the market leader. So, with Apple’s new plan, could this all change?
The news that Apple is planning to bring the iPhone 16 to South Korea as part of its global launch is courtesy of the Korea Times. Until now, Apple has tended to delay the release of its latest devices in South Korea, but the Silicon Valley tech giant seemingly is pushing to get the iPhone 16 on shelves and with retailers before Samsung starts teasing its own next generation, the Galaxy S25 series.
Some reports have suggested that Apple’s new drive to boost sales in South Korea is due to a dropoff in demand in China. There are even more homegrown devices for the American brand to face off in China, like the best Xiaomi phones and the best OnePlus phones, so it seems that Apple feels better about taking on an old foe in Samsung rather than fighting on multiple fronts against the Android upstarts.
While Apple hasn’t confirmed the iPhone 16 launch date, the speculation points towards early September. Apple has consistently released new phones in September over recent years, and no insider reports suggest a change in tact in 2024. However, the iPhone 16’s big draw feature, its suite of AI tools under the name Apple Intelligence, has seen a delay to October. So, if Korean consumers aren’t willing to wait for the brand’s answer to Galaxy AI, the brand might not benefit from an early launch after all.
Some in Korea believe the early iPhone 16 release could actually hurt Apple’s chances of boosting sales. A telecom company source from the Korea Times article suggests that the late arrival of iPhones in the region helps the brand, as any issues or bugs are often fixed by the time the devices arrive. Either way, we’ll find out later this year after the iPhone 16 arrives and we get our hands on the first round of sales figures.