LG Uplus Opens Consultation Window and iPhone 12 Rental
Apple Korea Has No Official Position
Carrier and Manufacturer Cause Investigation Ongoing
Customers Frustrated Over Responsibility Dispute
On the 8th, when Apple's 'iPhone 13' series was officially released in Korea, citizens were examining the products at the Apple Store Garosugil branch in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] "I don't want to know whether the problem lies with the carrier or the manufacturer. I just want to know how to solve the problem." (From a post by netizen A, who identified as an 'iPhone 13 mini' user)
LG Uplus opened a dedicated consultation window on the 3rd in response to the iPhone 13 reception issues, but critics say it is only a temporary measure without a fundamental solution. Apple, the manufacturer, has neither issued an official statement nor proposed any compensation plan.
According to the industry on the 5th, LG Uplus has been operating a dedicated consultation window for iPhone 13 reception issues since the 3rd. Phone consultations (080-864-1010) are available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and after verifying applicants, LG Uplus is lending 'iPhone 12 Pro 512G' free of charge. The rental period lasts up to 30 days after the iPhone 13 issue is resolved. LG Uplus customers can simply swap the SIM card into the delivered smartphone without any system request.
Complaints from users experiencing call drops on the iPhone 13 continue to be raised as of this day. A netizen who identified as an 'iPhone 13 Pro' user posted on a large online community, "My husband and child keep asking why I don't answer calls, and my boss at work keeps asking why I avoid his calls. I sigh as I watch my phone not ring even when he calls me right in front of me." Another user said, "I use an 'iPhone 13 Pro Max,' but since the calls come as delayed courtesy calls, I worry about missing important work calls and just want my contract to end quickly." As of this day, the KakaoTalk open chat room 'iPhone 13 Reception Issue Victims Group' has reached 320 members.
On the morning of the 8th, when Apple's new smartphone 'iPhone 13' series was officially released in Korea, customers were lining up at the Apple Store Garosugil in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
Earlier, on the 12th of last month, Apple urgently released iOS 15.1.1, an update to iOS 15.1, to improve call drop issues on the iPhone 13 and others, but similar problems persisted. Users of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 series experienced calls not ringing despite incoming calls, with the caller seeing missed calls or messages saying "Cannot answer the call." There were also issues with sending and receiving text messages. Not only LG Uplus but also MVNO customers such as Livem (Liv Mobile), which rents network from carriers, reported similar problems.
Both the carrier and manufacturer have yet to provide a clear solution, creating a difficult situation. LG Uplus stated, "We immediately informed Apple and Qualcomm upon recognizing the issue and requested improvements," adding, "Regardless of manufacturer actions, we opened a dedicated consultation window this week to minimize consumer inconvenience until the problem is resolved."
However, LG Uplus explained that this issue is not limited to a specific carrier or domestic situation. The company said, "Reception issues occur intermittently on some devices regardless of the carrier," and "They have been found not only domestically but also overseas." Meanwhile, SK Telecom and KT stated that they have not received similar customer complaints related to iPhones, drawing a clear distinction.
Apple Korea, the manufacturer, has not issued an official statement. Most reviews after visiting Apple service centers report that staff only said the device had no problems. Customer complaints continue on Apple's official community. One customer, who identified as an iPhone 13 Pro user, said, "I have a spare iPhone at home, and even after testing with two devices, only the iPhone 13 does not receive calls," adding, "Since the problem differs even among Apple devices, I can only suspect the phone itself rather than the carrier." Another user, who identified as an iPhone 13 mini customer, said, "I am an office worker experiencing work disruptions and damages," and lamented, "I contacted both Apple and the carrier, but they both say there is no problem and tell me to inquire elsewhere, which is very frustrating."
The iPhone 13 series was released domestically on October 1. The retail price varies depending on the model specifications: ▲iPhone 13 mini at 950,000 KRW ▲iPhone 13 at 1,090,000 KRW ▲iPhone 13 Pro at 1,350,000 KRW ▲iPhone 13 Pro Max starting from 1,490,000 KRW. The iPhone 13 added a 1TB capacity model, with the Pro Max 1TB retailing up to 2,170,000 KRW.
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