Apple, mobile carriers release new iPhone 12s in S. Korea

Apple Inc. and South Korea's three major telecom operators started shipping the iPhone 12 mini and the 12 Pro Max on Friday.

The launches of the smallest and the largest versions of Apple's latest devices follow the release of the standard 12 and 12 Pro models in the local market late last month.

The iPhone 12 mini comes with a 5.4-inch screen, compared with the standard model's 6.1-inch display, while the 12 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch screen.

Apple's latest generation of smartphones are the company's first to support 5G connectivity and will likely boost 5G smartphone sales in South Korea, which have lagged amid the pandemic this year.

Around 5 million 5G smartphones were sold in the country through September this year, however, sales will likely top 10 million by the end of the year on the back of the new iPhones, according to market researcher Counterpoint Research.

The number of 5G subscribers in South Korea stood at 9.25 million as of end-September, according to data from the Ministry of Science and ICT. The country commercialized 5G in April 2019. (Yonhap)