Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, was officially launched in South Korea on the 23rd. The three mobile carriers began activating devices for preorder customers and stepped up competition to attract subscribers with plan discounts, device compensation and subscription services.

Preorder results released by the three carriers showed a strong preference for the Star White colour and the 256GB model. At some carriers' online malls, initial prepared stock sold out immediately after reservations began, underscoring continued interest in the new product.

SK Telecom said that in preorders held for a week from Oct. 16, the 256GB and 512GB models accounted for 60 percent of total reservations. By age group, those in their 30s were the largest at 36 percent, followed by those in their 40s at 35 percent and those in their 20s at 13.9 percent. On T Direct Shop, the first round of preorders guaranteeing delivery on launch day closed in 1 minute.

SKT will provide all iPhone Duo activation customers with a two-month subscription pass for "Google AI Plus (400GB)" and a six-month subscription pass for the ad-supported Standard tier of Tving. It will also give away, through a draw, pro baseball player memorabilia packages and limited-edition iPhone cases to a total of 1,210 people.

It also introduced dedicated insurance reflecting the characteristics of foldable devices. "T iPhone Care" costs 17,000 won a month and supports cover layer damage compensation, battery replacement and warranty extension. It will also provide iCloud 50GB for free to SKT subscribers.

KT also confirmed strong interest during preorders. On the KT Direct Shop, the first and second batches prepared for the 256GB and 512GB models sold out within 1 minute of reservations opening. Reservations for the combined first and second batches across all capacities also closed within 40 minutes. By colour, 7 out of 10 buyers chose Star White.

KT will offer plan discounts of up to 32 percent on its official online mall, KT Direct Shop, by combining the 25 percent optional contract discount with an additional dedicated 7 percent discount. It will also provide buyers with a four-item accessories package and a 12-month free pass for iCloud+ 200GB. Customers who sign up for the "Choice Double Device" plan by the 31st can use AirPods Pro 3 at a customer benefit price of 0 won on a 24-month instalment basis.

KT also launched its device management services "Phone Care_iDuo" and "Phone Change_iDuo". Phone Care covers loss, theft and damage. Customers on plans of 100,000 won or more per month can use it for 10,500 won per month through KT membership discounts. Phone Change costs 6,500 won per month and guarantees up to 50 percent of the launch price when a customer returns the device after 2 years. KT will also run a special experience space at its Gwanghwamun KT Onmajijeom store until Nov. 9.

In LG Uplus' official online store preorders, Star White accounted for 69.4 percent of the total, far ahead of Night Sky at 30.6 percent. The share of reservations for high-capacity models of 512GB or more was tallied at 48.2 percent.

LG Uplus is running a compensation programme to reduce the burden of replacing devices. The "70 percent Compensation Pass" costs 18,000 won a month and, from the sixth month after activation, compensates up to 70 percent of the launch price in points, depending on conditions, when customers return the device and switch to a new iPhone. It also offers the "50 percent Compensation Pass" at 5,000 won a month, which compensates up to 50 percent after 24 months of use. Until next month 30, it will waive the monthly fee for the 24-month compensation pass for customers who switch carriers while keeping their phone number.

In addition, it will fully discount the 24-month instalment payments for the wireless-charging model of AirPods 5 for customers who sign up for plans at "Apple Device Plus Plan 105" or above. LG Uplus will place demo devices at 18 stores in major commercial districts such as Gangnam and Hongdae and also run experience programmes at "Il-sang Bi-il-sang-ui Teum."