SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus, the three mobile carriers, are set to compete on perks to win preorders ahead of Apple's new iPhone launch. They are moving to attract iPhone customers with device discounts, trade-in credits, subscription services, AI features and giveaways. The domestic starting price for iPhone 18 Pro is 1.99 million won, and for Pro Max it starts at 2.19 million won. Apple's first foldable phone, iPhone Duo, will launch in Korea on the 23rd of next month with a starting price of 3.29 million won.
SK Telecom, LG Uplus and KT will begin preorders for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max from 9 p.m. on the 12th of this month. Official launch and activation start on the 18th. In addition, the three carriers will take preorders for Apple's first foldable iPhone, the "iPhone Duo," from Oct. 16 and launch it from the 23rd. Other new products, including Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5, will start preorders on the 11th and launch from the 18th.
SK Telecom strengthened discounts centered on its official online mall, T Direct Shop. Through a "Lucky Roulette" event for customers who buy the iPhone 18 Pro series, vouchers of up to 200,000 won are offered for the 256GB and 512GB models, and up to 300,000 won for the 1TB and 2TB models. The vouchers can be used not only during the preorder period but also until the 30th.
It also prepared trade-in benefits. If customers return their existing devices, an iPhone 17 Pro graded A at 256GB can receive up to 1.22 million won in trade-in value, and they can get up to an additional 150,000 won through "Mintit ALL Compensation" and "Extra Compensation for Used Phones."
T Direct Shop also offers 36-month interest-free installments when paying with a Hyundai Card that supports Apple Pay. Using the Hyundai Card, an SK Telecom affiliate card, customers can receive benefits of up to 1.18 million won, including a monthly 15,000 won discount for 24 months if they spent at least 500,000 won in the previous month and a coupon pack worth 34,000 won. The official KakaoTalk channel of T Direct Shop also provides a 30,000 won discount coupon. SK Telecom will exclusively sell the 2TB models of iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max on T Direct Shop.
Membership benefits are also prepared for preorder customers. SK Telecom will provide the "Club iPhone 18 Pro" membership to customers who activate after preordering, and will give two coupons for MEGA MGC COFFEE iced Americanos just for submitting a preorder request. For customers who activate, it will provide a two-month Kakao Emoticon Plus pass and Outback coupons. Through a drawing, it will offer fall camping support, up to 50,000 won off with Kakao Pay, and up to 50,000 won off at Lotte Cinema.
It also put forward AI subscription benefits. Customers who activate the iPhone 18 Pro series by Oct. 18 will receive a two-month subscription to T Universe's Google AI Plus 400GB and a four-month subscription to TVING's ad-supported Standard plan. In addition, it will offer a pro baseball player signed ball package and memorabilia package (210 winners), Garmin Run invitations (100 winners), and iPhone 18 Pro cases signed by T1 players (500 winners).
KT will offer various benefits such as rate plans, device discounts and phone care for iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max preorder customers. Through the "Choice Double" plan, customers can choose benefits such as YouTube Premium, Netflix, Google AI Plus, AirPods Pro 3 and phone care. Customers who subscribe from Sept. 12–30 and select AirPods Pro 3 can get it for a net benefit price of 0 won on a 24-month installment basis (5.9% installment fee separate).
It also offers the "365 Phone Care," which covers loss, theft and damage, and the "Phone Change_i18" service, which guarantees up to 50% of the launch price after two years. Using a partner card, customers can receive benefits totaling up to about 1.44 million won combining rate discounts and cashback.
At KT Direct Shop, customers can receive up to a 32% rate discount by adding a dedicated 7% discount to the 25% optional contract discount, and first-round preorder customers are guaranteed delivery on launch day. In addition, number porting customers will receive a 50,000 won CASETiFY voucher, and the first 1,000 customers who purchase an iPhone and Apple Watch together will receive an additional 200,000 won subsidy for the new Apple Watch.
LG Uplus will provide a device discount coupon of up to 200,000 won, usable upon activation, to customers who preorder the iPhone 18 Pro series at the Uplus official online store. If paid with Samsung Card or Hyundai Card, up to 36-month interest-free installments are available, and Samsung Card users can also receive up to 100,000 won cashback depending on conditions.
If customers return their existing phones, they will receive up to an additional 180,000 won on top of the used phone trade-in value. Through a drawing, it will also give LG StanbyME 2 Max, Roborock S10 MaxV Ultra, AirPods Max 2 and a Dior Saddle card wallet. For customers who participate in the purchase review event, it will draw to offer the AirPods 4 Active Noise Canceling model and a Nike reusable bag. For online preorder customers, it will also provide a "morning delivery" service that allows them to receive the device on the morning of the official launch day.
Customers who subscribe to a "Plus Plan 115" or higher plan and use iCloud 200GB through "U+ mobile payment" will have their subscription fees fully covered for 24 months. Customers who activate after preordering and use U+ mobile payment on the App Store by Sept. 30 can receive up to 20,000 won off their bill. Customers who subscribe to the Phone Change Pass will receive an additional 30,000 won in Naver Pay.
It also prepared programs to reduce the burden of device replacement and repair. Customers who preorder iPhone 18 from Sept. 12 to Oct. 6, activate and subscribe to the "Phone Change Pass" will receive a MagSafe-exclusive 5,000mAh mini power bank. The Phone Change Pass is a premium device care program that allows unlimited device repairs without limits on the number of times or amounts, with a set deductible, and also offers a phone replacement service. Based on official AppleCare service, front and back damage each carry a 40,000 won deductible, and other repairs carry a 120,000 won deductible. It also supports global repair service according to country-specific standards and free battery replacement when performance criteria are met.
Using the "Compensation Pass," customers can receive up to 50% of the original launch price when they switch to a successor iPhone with LG Uplus 24 months after purchasing iPhone 18. Compensation is provided under specified conditions without concern for damage or cosmetic condition. The monthly fee is 5,000 won, and from Sept. 18 to Dec. 31, the fee is fully discounted for those who subscribe to an "iPhone Compensation Pass Plus Plan 105" or higher plan.
Alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series, LG Uplus also prepared discounts for customers who use Apple devices such as AirPods and Apple Watch. Customers on an "Apple Device Plus Plan 105" or higher can have the entire installment for AirPods 4 discounted, and depending on the plan and retention period, the installments for AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watch SE 3 can be discounted by up to 85%. It also offers AI-related benefits. It will draw 15,000 customers who activate the iPhone 18 Pro series to provide a free 300-minute pass for the AI meeting minutes service "Tiro." In October, it will also draw 500 new activation customers for an invitation event at Hwadam Forest.
It will also run a promotion through the live commerce "Uplus LIVE." From 9 p.m. on the 12th, it will introduce key features of the iPhone 18 Pro series and preorder perks, and will provide a 50,000 won Apple accessories discount coupon to customers who activate after preordering through the broadcast.