Apple unexpectedly raised the price of the 'iPad Pro' released in May of last year while announcing the launch of the new tablet PC 'iPad Air' earlier this month. Prices remain unchanged in major markets like China and Japan, but consumer dissatisfaction is growing due to the price increase only in South Korea.
◇ Prices remain unchanged in China and Japan, but increased in South Korea
According to industry sources on the 18th, Apple announced the launch of the new 'iPad Air M3' equipped with M3 earlier this month while raising the prices of the 'iPad Pro M4' released in South Korea last May by 100,000 won. Specifically, the price of the 11-inch iPad Pro M4 256-gigabyte (GB) model increased from 1,499,000 won to 1,599,000 won, while the 13-inch iPad Pro M4 256GB model rose from 1,999,000 won to 2,099,000 won.
Unlike South Korea, there was no change in the price of the iPad Pro M4 in China and Japan. Prices in the United States, where Apple is headquartered, also remain the same.
Apple has not officially commented on the price increase of the iPad Pro. However, industry insiders speculate that it is due to exchange rate fluctuations. When the iPad Pro M4 was released in May of last year, the won-dollar exchange rate was in the 1,360 won range, but it rose to around 1,460 won in March of this year, an increase of about 100 won.
However, the exchange rate has not had an absolute impact. In Malaysia, where the ringgit-dollar exchange rate has increased since the release of the iPad Pro M4 in May of last year, the price of the iPad Pro M4 has decreased. Apple lowered the price of the 11-inch iPad Pro M4 256GB model by 500 ringgit (approximately 170,000 won) and reduced the 13-inch model by 800 ringgit (approximately 260,000 won). An IT industry insider noted, "Apple does not solely consider the exchange rate of the respective country when adjusting prices" and added that the company likely made the decision to increase the ex-factory price based on sales trends.
◇ "Unilateral price increase is an act of deceiving South Korean consumers"
This is not the first time Apple has raised prices on older products. When Apple announced the launch of the iPad Pro M2 in October 2022, the price of the iPad Air M1, released in March of the same year, was raised by about 190,000 won. At that time, the price of the 10.9-inch iPad Air M1 256GB model jumped from 979,000 won to 1,169,000 won.
Lee Hong-joo, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University, said: "In the United States and Europe, there is strong regulation and oversight of monopolistic corporations, but South Korea tends to lack this. Consumer and civic groups need to strengthen monitoring and voice their concerns." Yoon Cheol-han, Director General of the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice, pointed out that "While price determination is a corporation's freedom, consumers have no choice but to follow the unilateral decisions of powerful companies like Apple" and stated that "Unilateral price increases are acts of deceiving South Korean consumers."
According to market research firm IDC, Apple's global tablet PC market share was 31.7% in the third quarter of 2024, ranking first. Samsung Electronics, in second place, has a market share of 17.9%.
Meanwhile, Apple has also raised prices for the iPad Pro M4 in Brazil and Turkey. In Brazil, prices increased by about 150,000 won, while in Turkey, they rose by 160,000 won.