5G Smartphone Market Shifts... Apple vs Samsung 'Autumn War' (Comprehensive Report 2)

Apple Unveils First 5G 'iPhone 12'
5G Market Share Poised for Major Shift
Samsung Responds with Cost-Effective 'GalS20FE'

Apple unveiled the iPhone 12 series on the 13th (local time). (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jinju Han] With the unveiling of the iPhone 12, the 'Autumn War' between Samsung and Apple has officially begun. The iPhone 12 holds symbolic significance as Apple's first 5G smartphone, challenging Samsung Electronics, which has led the 5G smartphone market so far, setting the stage for a fierce battle. Attention is also focused on how the US-China trade dispute, which has hampered Huawei's smartphone business, will affect this autumn war.

All Four iPhone 12 Models Launch with 5G

iPhone 12

On the 13th (local time), Apple unveiled the iPhone 12 series. The iPhone 12 series consists of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Mini, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. All four models support 5G. In South Korea, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro will officially launch on the 30th of this month, with pre-orders starting on the 23rd. The iPhone 12 Mini and Pro Max are scheduled to be released in the US and other countries on the 6th of next month, with the domestic release date yet to be determined.

The domestic retail prices are ▲iPhone 12 Mini at 950,000 KRW ▲iPhone 12 at 1,090,000 KRW ▲iPhone 12 Pro at 1,350,000 KRW ▲iPhone 12 Pro Max starting from 1,490,000 KRW. The iPhone 12 and Mini come in five colors: Blue, Green, Black, White, and (PRODUCT)RED, and are available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB models. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max are available in Graphite, Silver, Gold, and Pacific Blue colors, with storage options of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini

iPhone 12 Pro

Although South Korea is not included in the first wave of release countries, it will launch about a week later than the US. Compared to the past, when Korea was usually included in the second or third wave of releases and had to wait over a month, Korean fans will now get their hands on the device sooner. It is interpreted that Apple aims to increase its market share by introducing its first 5G iPhone in Korea early. As of the end of August, South Korea had 8.65 million 5G subscribers.

The iPhone 12 series features thinner bezels and a clearer display compared to its predecessor. Equipped with the A14 Bionic chipset, performance has improved by more than 50% over the previous generation. All four models come with a Super Retina XDR display. The pixel count is doubled compared to the previous model, and the maximum brightness is also twice as high. The front glass is reinforced with 'Ceramic Shield' for enhanced durability. The iPhone 12 and Mini feature dual 12-megapixel main and ultra-wide cameras, while the two Pro models include a LiDAR scanner for depth measurement. The iPhone 12 also supports 'Smart Data Mode,' which automatically switches to 4G when 5G speed is not needed to reduce power consumption and switches back to 5G when necessary. Apple has removed the charger and EarPods from the package, citing environmental protection as the reason.

Samsung and Apple Clash Over 5G Smartphones as Huawei Falters

Apple CEO Tim Cook is introducing the 5G iPhone at the iPhone 12 launch event held on the 13th (local time). (Photo by Yonhap News)

The 5G smartphone market has been dominated by Samsung Electronics and Huawei. Although Apple launched its 5G smartphone about a year later, a shift in the 5G smartphone market landscape is expected from the second half of this year. Apple supports the 5G high-frequency band (mmWave) to expand the coverage of the iPhone 12. In the US, users can experience speeds up to 4Gbps on the high-frequency band, which is expected to have a greater impact. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives predicted, "Out of the one billion iPhone users, 350 million will upgrade to 5G iPhones."

Samsung Electronics has also stepped up its pace. Samsung typically releases flagship models in February and August, but this year, it launched the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) priced in the 800,000 KRW range in October. This model is aimed at competing with Apple's lower-priced iPhone 12 models and targeting the sub-1 million KRW smartphone market. Mobile carriers are also expected to launch aggressive marketing campaigns to capture demand from users switching to 5G iPhones. An industry insider explained, "When purchasing a new device, consumers cannot ignore 5G, and since these devices are used for several years, demand for switching to 5G will be significant."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Market research firm Canalys forecasts that 278 million 5G smartphones will be shipped this year. Considering the total smartphone shipment volume of 1.2 billion units this year, 5G smartphones are expected to account for 20% of the total. Strategy Analytics (SA) projects that out of 670 million 5G smartphones shipped in 2021, Apple will ship 180 million units, ranking first. The expected market shares are Apple 24.2%, Huawei 22.2%, and Samsung Electronics 15.1%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.