Increased Demand for Smartphone Replacement After CSAT
Telecom Industry Raises Official iPhone Subsidies
Students ranked 'smartphone' as the number one gift they want to receive after the CSAT. The photo shows trot singer Jeon Yujin checking the classroom at Yeongil High School test site in Yeonil-eup, Nam-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongbuk on the 14th to take the CSAT exam. Photo by Yonhap News.
"I’m going to change to a new phone right after the CSAT"
Test takers chose 'smartphone' as the number one gift they want to receive after the CSAT.
KT announced that, after analyzing big data of keywords related to 'gifts wanted after the CSAT' mentioned on various communities, blogs, cafes, Twitter (now X), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, KakaoStory, and Naver Knowledge-iN from October 1 to November 2 last year, the number of mentions of electronic devices overwhelmingly surpassed those of fashion and brands.
The brand that attracts the most attention from test takers is Apple’s iPhone. Among the 10-20 age group, the preference for iPhone is high. According to a survey conducted by Korea Gallup in July on 1,002 people nationwide aged 18 and over, 64% of respondents in their 20s, including those aged 18-19, said they use iPhones. Galaxy users accounted for only 34%.
Customers visiting the Apple Store in Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul are looking at iPhone products. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung
Similar results were found in KT’s previous survey. The product with the highest number of mentions as a desired gift was the iPhone. Keywords related to Apple products such as Apple Watch and AirPods also showed strong presence. Following these were Samsung Electronics’ foldable phone Galaxy Z Flip and smartwatch Galaxy Watch.
The telecommunications industry has raised the official subsidies for iPhones, which are highly preferred by test takers, by about twice to target them. According to the telecommunications industry on the 14th, SK Telecom and KT raised the official subsidies for the basic model of the iPhone 16 to 220,000?450,000 KRW and 169,000?450,000 KRW, respectively. Including additional subsidies provided by distribution channels, discounts of up to 517,000 KRW are available.
The distribution industry is also actively moving to target test takers. Some hotels offer a free meal voucher for one accompanying person when a test taker uses the buffet, and amusement parks offer up to 70% discounts for test takers until the end of the year. Airlines also plan to provide domestic and international flight ticket discounts for test takers.
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