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Korea in the digital vanguard

by Kevin (Kilmo) Kang, Korea

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iPhone, you did it again!

Dec 11, 2008 12:13

iPhone--it seems this smart phone has been creating a lot of changes in Korea lately. I have to say its more powerful than I imagined it. Apple finally removed the Korean government mobile related restriction (WIPI) which belong to all mobile phones sold in Korea.

WIPI (Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability) was one of major barriers for international mobile manufacturers entering the Korean market. This is because it requires having modification and related tests to adopt WIPI for their existing mobile phones meant for the Korean market only. However, this government restriction covers local manufacturers to avoid tough challenges with international brands like Nokia, Sony Erricson, etc. Now, those local manufacturers like Samsung and LG have great strengths to compete with those international brands and are starting to take over their places too.

The Korean government likes to make standardization on many areas and mobile phone sectors, too. Last year I report that all Korean mobile phones are restricted to having the TTA standard 24 Pin charging connector to unify those all power adapters. And, this year this 24 Pin standard has been revised to a 20 pin one since all the mobile phones are getting slimier and connectors needs to be slimier to support those designs. However, this revision isn't compulsary but highly recommended.

WIPI was also born under same theory. Mobile phones started to supporting Internet content access but all the three local mobile network providers have unique solutions on this accessibility which would bring trouble when generating common content for the services. But, this became a barrier to international brands entering the Korean market.

It seems that this WIPI would never be removed from local mobile phones but the iPhone made it to be happen yesterday.

Korean were not too aware of smart phones until Apple introduced the iPhone--typical smart phone icon Blackberry isn't famous here, too. Second-place network provider KTF is trying to bring in the iPhone to take over the No.1 market share holder SKT--like Softbank and NTTdocomo's recent moves in Japan. But, KTF faced trouble bringing in the iPhone by WIPI matters and SKT also started to look for alternative smartphones to defend their market share from KTF and iPhone. So, SKT start to contact HTC, RIM and Sony Ericsson to introduce their mobiles to Korean market. Even more, local giant Samsung also joined the smartphone market with T-Omnia to defend local market from Apple's iPhone as well.

All these happened in few months while KTF and Apple negotiated with each other to launch the iPhone in Korea and avoid WIPI matters from Korea government.

The government decided to remove a key mobile restriction starting April 1, to allow entry of the iPhone, Blackberry, HTC--all major international mobiles into the local market.

The Apple iPhone has created a boon for smart phones in Korea and removed government restriction as well. What will be the next happening we can expect now? Mac OS rising in Korea? Or Korean App Store to open soon? (I heard Korean App Store is also ready to service as well.)

2009's Korean mobile market will be chaos given the number of big brand smart phones market entries.

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About Kevin (Kilmo) Kang

Kevin (Kilmo) Kang is a self-professed IT-savvy guy who's been having the time of his life making tech deals with new business partners in the Asia-Pacific areas. Like every Korean, he's gadget-crazy and is glad he lives in a country with one of the fastest-growing tech markets in the world. His taste for international work, however, arose from a nine-year stay in New Zealand where he fortunately made more friends than there are sheep.