South Korea

Apple has announced it will finally introduce its popular 'Find My' network to South Korea in the spring of 2025, after apparently overcoming local regulatory hurdles. The launch will bring the full range of Apple's location-based ‌Find My‌ services to South Korean customers for the first time, enabling them to keep track of devices, belongings, and loved ones. Last July, a petition on...

Apple is considering launching the iPhone 16 lineup in Korea earlier than usual due to weakening demand in China, the Korea Times reports. If correct, this would mark a significant shift for Apple, as Korea has not been part of the initial release countries since the iPhone 3GS in 2009. Apple is expected to launch the ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup in mid-September, with an announcement on the 10th...

Apple is opening its fifth retail store in South Korea this Friday, and the company has enlisted K-pop girl band NewJeans to woo the country's users, reports Bloomberg. K-pop girl band NewJeans The new store will be located in the central Gangnam district of Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, and in a promotional event on Wednesday, Apple set up a pop-up studio inside the new store where ...

After a years-long wait, Apple Pay today launched in South Korea, allowing those living in the country to use Apple's payment system to make contactless payments using the iPhone or Apple Watch. Apple has been working to bring ‌Apple Pay‌ to South Korea since 2017, but Apple was unable to be registered as an electronic financial business operator because regulators were investigating...

After years of discussions with local authorities, Apple Pay in South Korea has been approved by the financial regulator, paving the way for the mobile payment system to launch in the first half of this year (via The Korea Herald). "Having taken into consideration relevant rules and regulations and their interpretations, we confirm that credit card companies can push for the introduction of...

A South Korean court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit seeking compensation from Apple over allegations the company deliberately slowed down the performance of older iPhones in order to compel customers to buy new models (via The Korea Herald). "The lawsuit is dismissed," a court judge briefly said, without elaborating as to the reason for the ruling, denying the case brought by some 9,800...

Apple's South Korean headquarters have been raided by antitrust regulators after a complaint was raised by developers that it is charging them over the standard 30% App Store commission rate. The dawn raid by the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) was reported by local media on Monday and covered on Friday by the Foss Patents blog, highlighting the ongoing investigation in the country into...

Apple is to again be investigated by South Korea's telecommunications regulator, alongside Google and One Store, over suspected violations of in-app payment rules. In a statement (via Reuters), the Korea Communications Commissions (KCC) said that it conducted an inspection of Apple, Google, and One Store since May 17 to determine if they have violated in-app payment laws, and concluded that...

Apple has informed App Store developers in South Korea that they can now begin offering users alternative payment systems in their apps. The change comes after the country passed a law that bans app store operators from requiring developers to use their own in-app purchase systems. Apple's developer update on apps distributed in South Korea begins with Apple saying that the ‌App Store‌ was...

The iPhone 14 will feature a more expensive "high-end" front-facing camera with autofocus, partly made in South Korea for the first time, ET News reports. Apple reportedly ousted a Chinese candidate to choose LG Innotek, a South Korean company, to supply the ‌iPhone 14‌'s front-facing camera alongside Japan's Sharp. The company is said to have originally planned to switch to LG for the iPhone...

Apple's plans to allow developers to use third-party alternative payments methods within their apps in South Korea "lacks concrete detail," according to South Korea's Communications Commission (KCC). In August, South Korea passed a law that bans app store operators from requiring developers to use their in-app purchase systems. Last month, Apple submitted its compliance plans to the KCC that ...

Apple is not doing enough to comply with South Korean legislation that forbids app store operators from forcing developers to use their payment systems, according to lawmaker Jo Seoung-lae, Reuters reports. Via an amendment to the Telecommunication Business Act, South Korea is the first country endeavouring to stop developers from being forced to use a single payment system offered by app...

The Apple TV 4K set-top box will launch in Korea on November 4 in tandem with the availability of the company's TV+ video streaming service, Apple announced on Monday. Along with the launch of the Apple TV 4K, Apple TV+ will become available in the country for the first time, accessible through the Apple TV App, Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, and Apple One. To celebrate its digital service's...

Apple's iPhone 13 series today went on sale in Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, and nearly 10 other countries and regions. The devices can be purchased from select retailers, while online orders are set to begin arriving to customers. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, ‌iPhone‌ 13, ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max first launched on September 24 in the United States and more than 30 other...

Apple and Google have been asked to provide compliance plans for a newly amended law in South Korea that bars both tech giants from forcing developers to using their in-app purchase payment system for their respective app distribution platforms, Reuters reports. In August, South Korea passed an amendment to an existing law that bans Apple and Google from mandating developers to use their own ...

South Korea today passed a bill that bans Apple and Google from requiring developers to use their own respective in-app purchasing systems, allowing developers to charge users using third-party payment methods, The Wall Street Journal reports. The bill was originally supposed to be voted on yesterday, however, more urgent matters presented to South Korea's National Assembly meant the bill...

South Korea has delayed voting on a bill that would ban Apple and Google from requiring developers to use their in-app purchasing systems, a move that would open the door to allowing third-party payment methods, representing a possible significant threat to Apple and Google's app marketplace business models. The bill, coming in the form of an amendment to the existing Telecommunications...

South Korea may soon ban Apple and Google from requiring app developers to use their in-app purchase systems, reports Reuters. South Korea's legislation and judiciary committee is expected to approve an "Anti-Google Law" that amends the existing Telecommunications Business Act. It will require Apple and Google to allow third-party payment methods in their app stores in South Korea, and it...

A team of Apple employees that are part of Apple Car's development reportedly visited South Korea on a secret business trip to meet with. local companies, such as LG, the SK Group, and others, to discuss Apple's automotive ambitions and possible business opportunities. That is, at least, according to a report citing South Korean sources from Taiwanese DigiTimes, who claim that during their...

A bill that could require Apple and Google to allow third-party payment methods on their respective app stores in South Korea is gaining support ahead of a vote on the issue. The bill proposes an amendment to the existing Telecommunications Business Act, which would bar Apple, Google, and any other company that operates its own app distribution platform, from forcing developers to use a...