Three Major Carriers Announce Up to 450,000 Won in Common Subsidies for iPhone 17 Series

Up to 517,500 Won with Additional Subsidies

The three major mobile carriers have announced a maximum common subsidy of 450,000 won for Apple's new iPhone 17 Series.

According to the telecommunications industry on September 14, SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus each posted preliminary subsidy information for the iPhone 17 Series on their official websites. The final subsidy amounts will be confirmed on the official release date, September 19.

iPhone 17 Series. Apple

The three carriers have grouped the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Pro, and Air models and set different subsidy amounts depending on the rate plan. For the Pro and Air models, the maximum subsidy is 450,000 won. When including additional subsidies, all three carriers offer up to 517,500 won. Although the abolition of the Mobile Device Distribution Improvement Act has removed the previous 15% cap on additional subsidies, all three carriers have set the additional subsidy at 67,500 won, which is 15%.

The maximum common subsidy for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is 260,000 won for SK Telecom, 250,000 won for KT, and 230,000 won for LG Uplus. When including additional subsidies, the amounts are 299,000 won, 287,500 won, and 264,500 won, respectively.

Once the carriers finalize the common and additional subsidies on the release date, the actual purchase price for consumers will be determined by also factoring in subsidies offered independently by retail stores. Generally, customers receive higher subsidies when they switch carriers or choose higher-priced plans.

Some in the telecommunications industry predict that the subsidy competition, which had remained relatively subdued even after the abolition of the Mobile Device Distribution Improvement Act, may intensify with the release of the new iPhone-a traditionally peak sales period. However, there is also analysis suggesting the impact will be limited. An industry official stated, "The market has already stabilized to some extent without excessive price competition, and in light of recent security incidents, there is a cautious atmosphere regarding aggressive marketing."