Apple Aims to Conquer Samsung’s Home Market in South Korea with iPhone 17 Launch, First Shipment Targeting This Region

The highly anticipated iPhone 17 series has reportedly commenced mass production, with Foxconn employing its standard strategy of offering employee bonuses to meet Apple’s stringent manufacturing goals. Initial shipments are set to prioritize multiple countries, with the United States taking the lead, followed closely by China. Notably, South Korea, home to Samsung, has also been selected as a target market, as Apple seeks to gain a foothold in this competitive landscape.

Pre-Order Details for South Korea Following the iPhone 17 Launch

In a strategy reminiscent of last year’s approach, Apple is gearing up to launch the iPhone 17 in South Korea, aiming to replicate the successful market penetration achieved during the iPhone 16 series release. According to reports from Herald Corp, the official announcement event is scheduled for September 9, with pre-orders in South Korea expected to commence on September 12. The devices will then officially hit the market on September 19.

Despite some initial skepticism within the industry about whether South Korea would be included in the first wave of iPhone 17 shipments, it has been affirmed that Apple recognizes the importance of this market. Recent data from Counterpoint Research indicates that Samsung dominates the South Korean smartphone sector, with an impressive 82% market share from January to July this year. This suggests a substantial potential for iPhone sales, with estimates indicating millions of units sold.

Nevertheless, there are concerns among industry insiders regarding the overall success of the iPhone 17 launch. This skepticism does not stem from a lack of innovative features; rather, it is linked to anticipated price increases. As tariffs come into play, consumers may find the updated prices less palatable, which could hinder sales performance. Apple could, however, mitigate some of this impact by introducing storage enhancements in certain iPhone 17 models, a tactic employed previously with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, thus effectively justifying higher price points.

For more information, check the original report on Herald Corp.

Additional insights can be found in our source article on Wccftech.