iPhone 7 draws presale hit on Note 7's absence
An LG Uplus model promotes a special handset purchase program for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus dubbed H Plus Club in this file photo. The mobile carrier said the subscribers of the program can get a hanf-price discount on the handset on condition that they hand in the used iPhone 7 or 7 Plus when they change their handset after 18 months. / Courtesy of LG Uplus
By Yoon Sung-won
Apple’s iPhone 7 and the larger iPhone 7 Plus are drawing strong consumer response in their first day of presales here, mobile carriers said Friday.
This came as the new iPhones have been expected to benefit from lightened competition in the premium smartphone market after Samsung Electronics decided to ditch the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7.
“Such a heated response has been fully expected,” a telecom industry source said. “Added to those who have been loyal to the iPhone series, the iPhone 7 has drawn new demand from those who are dissatisfied with the Note 7.”
KT said it sold more than 20,000 iPhone 7s and iPhone 7 Pluses in the first minute after opening for presales at 9 a.m. It stopped receiving applications for the first round of presales 15 minutes later, selling all 50,000 new iPhones. Only those who applied for presales in the first round can receive the handset on the introduction day of the new iPhone on Oct. 21.
KT said it restarted receiving presale applications at 10:30 a.m. online and has continued the reception at its offline stores.
SK Telecom also said its first-round presales ended in 20 minutes and the second round, which started 10 minutes later, closed in an hour. SK Telecom said the new iPhones with the jet black finish were all sold out a minute into the second round of presales.
“We have received twice as many presale applications for the iPhone 7 series, compared to those for the iPhone 6s series,” SK Telecom said.
LG Uplus said it has received more than 20,000 presale applications.
Apple introduced waterproof and dustproof features, and removed the hardware home button for the new iPhone for the first time in the series. The U.S. smartphone giant also removed the analog earphone port and instead released exclusive wireless earphones, drawing mixed responses from consumers.
A 32GB iPhone 7 was priced at 869,000 won ($766.18) in Korea. iPhone7s with storage of 128GB and 256GB will be sold for 999,900 won and 1.13 million won, respectively. A larger 32GB iPhone 7 Plus was priced at 1.02 million won. The most expensive model, the 256GB iPhone 7 Plus, will be sold for 1.28 million won.
SK Telecom said consumers can receive the biggest subsidy of 122,000 won by purchasing an iPhone 7 with the T Signature Master monthly subscription plan, which costs more than 110,000 per month. Customers choosing a 32GB iPhone 7 can get an extra 15 percent subsidiary, provided by each outlet, the mobile carrier reported.