iPhone 18 Pro Preorders Top 70% as Three Mobile Carriers Compete With Launch Benefits

Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be released in South Korea on the 18th. Along with the domestic launch, carriers disclosed their preorder results. In the preorder results from KT and LG Uplus, the share of iPhone 18 Pro preorders was higher than that of the Pro Max.

KT said the preorder period ran from 9 p.m. on the 12th to 8 a.m. on the 18th. Based on KT's preorder results, the number of orders for both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max increased from the previous model. Of those, the iPhone 18 Pro accounted for about 70%, and its share was higher than the Pro Max's. For both models, the most popular storage option was 256GB.

Against this backdrop of demand, the three mobile carriers have launched a race to attract iPhone 18 customers. To secure iPhone 18 subscribers, the three carriers are offering a range of additional benefits and compensation programs.

The benefits offered by the three carriers include subscription passes, device discounts, used-phone trade-in offers, and device care. Using these perks, the three mobile carriers are competing to win over iPhone 18 customers.

LG Uplus announced an analysis of preorder customers on the U+ official online store. According to the data, iPhone 18 Pro preorders accounted for 79.7%, while iPhone 18 Pro Max preorders accounted for 20.3%. LG Uplus said preference for the iPhone 18 Pro was dominant.

In color preferences, silver was the most popular choice for both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. In storage preferences, 256GB accounted for the largest share for both models. The share choosing 512GB or more came to 38.2% for the iPhone 18 Pro and 51.5% for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, indicating a higher share for the Pro Max than for the Pro.

With the iPhone 18 launch, the three mobile carriers have entered a benefits race timed to the release. Among them, SK Telecom offered a shared subsidy for the 'iPhone 18 Pro' and 'iPhone 18 Pro Max.' The subsidy for the iPhone 18 Pro ranged from KRW 236,000 to KRW 450,000, while the subsidy for the iPhone 18 Pro Max ranged from KRW 86,000 to KRW 260,000.

For customers who purchase and activate the new iPhone 18 lineup, SK Telecom offered a 2-month subscription to 'T Universe's Google AI Plus' and a 4-month subscription to Tving's ad-supported Standard plan. It also promised up to KRW 1.27 million in compensation through its used-phone trade-in program and up to KRW 840,000 in discounts when customers use affiliated cards.

KT offers up to a 32% bill discount for customers who activate service through the KT Direct Shop. KT's discount package consists of a device installment discount and a dedicated discount. KT also offers a 12-month free subscription to iCloud+ 200GB and an accessory package, while providing iPhone 18-specific device care and a service that compensates up to 50% of the original launch price when customers upgrade after 2 years.

At the U+ official online store, LG Uplus offers an additional KRW 50,000 in Naver Pay on top of the used-phone trade-in value when customers buy the iPhone 18 after turning in their existing handset. LG Uplus also operates a reward pass that compensates up to 50% of the original launch price at the time of purchase when customers switch to a later iPhone, and it also offers installment discounts on Apple devices.

The separate iPhone Duo product was introduced as Apple's first foldable iPhone and is slated for release in October. SK Telecom and LG Uplus plan to begin preorders for the iPhone Duo on October 16 and to release it officially on October 23.

Source: IT DAILY · Seong Won-young
Original: https://www.itdaily.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=241714

References

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