It took nine months, but iPhone sales in South Korea have finally topped the 1 million mark. KT, Apple’s iPhone partner in the country, expects sales of the combination iPod and smartphone to reach 1.2 million in early October, according to Yonhap News.
While South Korea’s iPhone sales may seem low compared to other markets, they actually account for a substantial number of the country’s smartphone sales. Last year, there were only about half a million smartphone users in South Korea. This year, however, that number is expected to climb up to 4.8 million.
Apple’s iPhone 4 hit store shelves in South Korea on September 10 with over 300,000 pre-orders in the queue, but only 10,000 units on hand. Shoppers waited in the rain in hopes of getting their hands on the newest iPhone model.
Nearly a quarter of the smartphone owners in South Korea are expected to be iPhone users by the end of 2010.