iPhone 12 May Launch Earlier Than Usual in South Korea
The upcoming iPhone 12 lineup may launch earlier than usual in South Korea, reports The Korea Herald.

South Korean telecoms firms speaking to The Korea Herald have said that the iPhone 12 lineup will launch ahead of its usual schedule. Normally, the release of new iPhones in South Korea comes about one month after launch in the United States. Last year, the iPhone 11 arrived in South Korea on October 25, considerably later than its September 20 launch in the U.S.
South Korea was the first to commercialize 5G telecommunications in April 2019, and as of July this year, the country already has almost eight million 5G users. South Korea is expected to be a key market for Apple since the iPhone 12 lineup will be the first with 5G, so this may explain the earlier launch. Crucially, the iPhone 12 Pro Max may be the first smartphone available in South Korea to support the high-frequency 28GHz band for 5G communications, making it considerably more appealing to those with access to the frequency.
Apple is also likely looking to expand its South Korean market share, where it currently owns just 19 percent of the market. Samsung dominates the South Korean smartphone market at 67 percent. An earlier launch, in alignment with other key regions such as the United Kingdom and Germany, may help the company gain more of a foothold in South Korea, and indicates how the country is increasingly important to Apple.
The sources added that South Korean telecoms operators are preparing for the launch of iPhone 12 models in late October or early November. Rumors now seem to be pointing toward the iPhone 12 being unveiled on Tuesday, October 13, followed by a launch on October 23.
Related Stories
Apple today launched its annual Back to University program in Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Brazil, offering students and teachers free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad. The promotion runs from January 6 through March 7.
Eligible devices include the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, iMac Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad Air. Purchases come with free standard...
Twelve South today announced the launch of the ActionBand, a new Apple Watch band option created for fitness enthusiasts. The ActionBand is designed for workouts, and it encompasses the Apple Watch in a soft, terry cotton material.
The cotton of the ActionBand is meant to keep the Apple Watch tight on the wrist for heart rate measurements, and it also is sweat absorbent. It is made with...
Apple and Major League Baseball today announced that a weekly "Friday Night Baseball" doubleheader is coming to Apple TV+ for the 2022 season, which is currently postponed due to a labor dispute between the MLB and the MLB's Players Association.
"Friday Night Baseball" will provide MLB fans with two marquee games to watch live on Friday nights each week during the regular season, complete...
Twelve South today debuted a new version of its BackPack accessory, this one designed to fit the 24-inch M1 iMac. The BackPack for 24-inch iMac is available to order on Twelve South today for $44.99, and it only comes in a white color option.
You can install the BackPack in two steps, using an included two-piece holster that snaps into the oval opening on the back of the iMac stand. The...
After Xiaomi pledged to aggressively challenge Apple earlier this month, Chinese smartphone brand Oppo is also now planning to directly compete with Apple on a global scale with a wave of premium devices, starting with the newly announced Find X5 (via South China Morning Post).
Oppo is currently the world's fourth-biggest smartphone vendor, but following its merger with OnePlus, the company...
Apple suppliers are positioning to manufacture and assemble the company's long-rumored electric vehicle (EV), according to a report from DigiTimes.
Apple Car concept render by Vanarama based on patents filed by Apple The report claims that Foxconn, the colossal manufacturer behind most iPhone models, and Luxshare Precision, the assembler behind Apple devices such as AirPods, are angling to...
The South Korean government recently passed a law that bans Apple and Google from requiring developers to use their in-app purchase systems in the App Store and Google Play respectively, and Google has now announced changes to comply with the law.
In a blog post, Google said it will be giving developers the option to add an alternative in-app billing system alongside the Play Store's billing ...
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has today renewed his attack on Apple and called for a single, universal app store that works across all platforms (via Bloomberg).
Last year, Epic's popular game "Fortnite" became the subject of heated litigation with Apple and Google over the rate of commission on in-app purchases. After Epic broke App Store rules by implementing a direct payment option, the game ...
Popular Stories
YouTuber Unbox Therapy has shared a hands-on look at the iPhone 14 Pro Max using what he claims is a one-to-one replica created by third-party case makers with access to detailed schematics and dimensions for Apple's new upcoming flagship smartphone.
As with the iPhone 13 Pro lineup, in 2022, we are expecting a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, but this time the Pro...
Apple today released macOS Monterey 12.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Monterey operating system that launched in October 2021. macOS Monterey 12.4 comes over two months after the launch of macOS Monterey 12.3, an update that added Universal Control.
The macOS Monterey 12.4 update can be downloaded on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System...
Apple today released iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5, the fifth major updates to the iOS and iPadOS 15 operating systems that were initially released in September 2021. iOS and iPadOS 15.5 come a little over two months after the launch of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4.
The iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in...
iOS 16 will include new ways of interacting with the system and some "fresh Apple apps," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said, offering some more detail on what Apple has in store for the upcoming release of iOS and iPadOS set to be announced in a few weeks at WWDC. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman wrote that while iOS 16 is not likely to introduce a major face-lift to...
The Apple Watch Series 8 could feature an all-new design with a flat display, according to the leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro."
In his latest video on the YouTube channel Front Page Tech, Jon Prosser highlighted information from ShrimpApplePro that suggests the Apple Watch Series 8 could feature a flat display in what seems to be a design originally rumored for the Apple Watch Series 7. ...
WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will allow users to "silently" leave group chats hosted by the messaging platform instead of all members of the group being notified when they do.
As it stands, when someone leaves a group chat, WhatsApp announces their exit to the entire group, making the act of leaving very public. It's not possible right now to leave a group quietly, but WhatsApp...
Apple today released tvOS 15.5, the fifth major update to the tvOS operating system that first launched in September 2021. tvOS 15.5 comes more than two months after the release of tvOS 15.4, an update that brought support for captive WiFi networks.
tvOS 15.5 can be downloaded over the air on the Apple TV through the Settings app by going to System > Software Update. Apple...
Top Rated Comments
“In confederate New York, iPhones are made in cotton fields!”
or pre unification,
“In Soviet West Germany, iPhone launches you!”
Maybe this is funny to some.
Is it possibly a bogus story? Sure. Is it something MacRumors should publish? Why the hell wouldn’t they?
You’ve been here for over a decade. Is it actually possible that you’re still confused as to which articles are appropriate for publication here? The MR analysis seems sound ?♂️