iPad sales surpass 1 million in Korea

Apple is estimated to have sold more than 1 million iPad tablet computers in the Korean market, outpacing its local rival Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Tab by a wide margin.

Apple’s iPad debuted here on Nov. 30, 2010 and its sequel iPad 2 was introduced on April 29 last year. About 700,000 units were sold last year alone, dominating the nascent tablet computer market here.

Given that many early adopters bought iPad even before the product was formally available on the local market, the actual number of iPads could be far more than 1 million, the local press projected, citing industry sources.

Two in three iPads sold in Korea are Wi-Fi only models, suggesting that users prefer the version that is not attached to the obligatory mobile carrier’s data plans.

The share of the iPad series on the Korean market is seen to hover at 70-80 percent, underscoring its resounding popularity against Samsung’s Galaxy Tab.

(insight@heraldcorp.com)