Korea speculated to be debut country for iPhone 16 series

Local media reports claim that Korea will be the first country for the new iPhone 16 series to roll out, sometime in the beginning of September.

iPhone 16 Pro rendering provided by Apple Insider [APPLE INSIDER]

Korean consumers are expected to be one of the first to get their hands on the newest iPhone 16 series, according to local media reports.

Nothing for the release keynote has been set in stone, but Bloomberg pinpointed its date to be Sept. 10.

It is likely that preorders for iPhone 16 lineup will open on Sept. 13, and with the official launch to be on Sept. 20.

Korea is anticipated to be the first market for the iPhone 16 rollout this year, according to local media outlets, based on its predecessor’s strong sales.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an interview with the Reuters in February that iPhone sales hit an all-time high in Korea as he labeled the country the hometown of longtime rival Samsung Electronics.

Total sales figures for the iPhone 15 series over the four weeks in 2023 were 41.9 percent higher than those of the iPhone 14 series posted over the same period in 2022.

Domestic mobile carriers, on the other hand, remain cautious about the exact debut of the iPhone 16 in Korea.

“As of now, we cannot say anything for sure,” said a market insider who wished to remain anonymous.

An Apple Korea spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

Korea has long been at the lower end of the tier system for iPhone rollouts, with the 2009 release of the iPhone 3GS the last time it was in the top tier.

For the iPhone 15 last year, Korea was in the third tier, receiving the phone three weeks after first-tier countries did.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]