The iPhone missing from Apple’s Seoul launch

Apple’s first foldable iPhone was absent from the display tables at its Myeong-dong store Friday, but the device was already on some shoppers’ minds.

As customers arrived to collect the newly released iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, conversations also turned to the iPhone Duo, due next month. For some, this year’s upgrade decision involved more than choosing a color or screen size: Buy now, or wait for Apple’s entry into foldables?

A man in his 30s who bought the iPhone 18 Pro said he had considered waiting for the Duo before deciding the Pro better suited his needs.

“When I looked at the unfolded size of the iPhone Duo, it seemed close to the Pro Max,” he said. “So I didn’t feel the need to wait for the Duo.”

His interest in the foldable came with reservations about buying Apple’s first attempt at the new form factor.

“I’m curious because it is Apple’s first foldable phone. But I have concerns about durability, and I think the Pro offers more proven performance right now.”

The Duo’s approaching debut did little to dampen the opening ritual outside the central Seoul store.

“Five, four, three, two, one!”

Cheers erupted as the doors opened at 8 a.m., with employees applauding customers as they entered. One had arrived at 7 p.m. the previous evening, spending about 13 hours outside to secure an early place in line.

“I usually switch to a new iPhone almost every year,” the customer said. “I’m happy that I was able to enter first.”

Around 150 people had gathered by 7:30 a.m. Apple limited launch-day purchases to customers with preorders, and about 300 customers arrived during the morning to collect reserved devices. Others came to look at the new phones in person.

South Korea has been among Apple’s first-wave launch markets for three consecutive years, beginning with the iPhone 16 lineup in 2024. This year, however, Friday’s release leaves a closely watched arrival still to come.

Inside, shoppers compared cameras and colors while discussing whether the Duo would be worth waiting for. For those choosing the Pro, specific features offered reasons to upgrade before the foldable arrived.

A customer working in video production pointed to the variable aperture camera as the main attraction.

“I work with video, so the variable aperture was what interested me,” he said. “I expect it will create more natural results than software-based background blur.”

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at 1.99 million won ($1,440) in Korea, while the Pro Max starts at 2.19 million won. Both come in black, silver, glacier and burgundy.

Not every buying decision revolved around Apple’s next device. Design preferences and familiarity also figured in conversations at the store.

A woman in her 30s who had used Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip said she eventually returned to the iPhone.

“I tried using Galaxy for a while, but I came back to the iPhone,” she said. “For me, the iPhone’s design was the biggest reason.”

Another visitor, a longtime Galaxy user, had come to buy an iPhone for his son rather than himself.

“I’ve used Galaxy for a long time. I’m used to it. Switching would be inconvenient,” he said.

For the Pro buyer who had weighed waiting for the Duo, curiosity about Apple’s next phone was not enough to delay a purchase. The foldable had entered his decision — but had yet to win his confidence.