[Report] "iPhone is iPhone": Early Morning Open Run... Apple Fans Say "Who Cares About AI?"

iPhone 17 Series Officially Launched on September 19
Customers Line Up at Apple Store
Purchases Continue Despite Criticism Over 'Lack of AI Innovation'
Samsung Counters with Launch of Galaxy S25 FE

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Welcome!"

At 7:30 a.m. on September 19, the Apple Store in Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul was already bustling. On this day, with the launch of the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air, lines of customers had formed early in the morning to make their purchases. The iPhone 17 series (iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air) was released simultaneously in first-wave countries, including South Korea. Since last year, starting with the iPhone 16 series, South Korea has been included among the first-wave launch countries. As a result, even foreign customers hoping to get their hands on the new iPhone early joined the queue. At 8 a.m., employees counted down and welcomed the customers. According to staff at the scene, the number of visitors to the Apple Store on this year's iPhone launch day increased compared to last year.

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Kim Jimin, a university student in her twenties, became the first customer of the day after lining up in front of the Apple Store Myeongdong since 9 p.m. the previous night. She said she is always interested in electronic devices and replaces her phone every year. This time, she purchased the newly added ultra-slim model, the iPhone Air. Last year, she also bought the iPhone 16 at the Apple Store on launch day. In her hand was also a Galaxy S25 Edge. Kim said, "I came early in the morning last year too, but I wasn't the first customer. This time, I prepared to stay up all night and brought things to do while waiting."

Among the iPhone 17 series models available for hands-on experience, the iPhone Air stood out the most. With a thickness of 5.6mm and a weight of 165g, its slim and lightweight design was immediately noticeable. However, to achieve this lightweight form, only one camera and one speaker were included, and it supports only eSIM rather than a physical SIM card. Upon testing it, the single speaker resulted in the volume being about half that of the other models.

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After the store opened at 8 a.m., customers entered the store under staff guidance and most collected their reserved phones. Apple is often considered to be lagging behind competitors in introducing artificial intelligence (AI) features in its smartphone operating system (OS). The iOS 26, unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, also focused more on changes to the user interface (UI) design than on advancements in AI features.

However, loyal iPhone customers at the scene did not seem too concerned about the lack of AI features. Ha Mo, a customer in his thirties who purchased an iPhone 17, said, "It's true that the development of Apple Intelligence (Apple's AI system) is slow, but because it processes data on-device (meaning AI computations are handled internally without using a server), it should be safer. Since Apple is also increasing its investment in this area, I purchased the phone with the expectation that AI features will continue to improve."

There were also mixed reviews on the design of the Pro models, which had been the subject of debate immediately after their unveiling. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max introduced a new design, expanding the area occupied by the camera module. Kim, an office worker in his forties who purchased the iPhone 17 Pro Max in Cosmic Orange, said, "I wonder if it was really necessary to design the camera island this way, but I think I will get used to it as I keep using it."

iPhone Air exhibited at Apple Store Myeongdong. Photo by Lee Myunghwan

The three major mobile carriers are also offering benefits to buyers of the iPhone 17 series. SK Telecom is holding a prize event for new product buyers, offering gifts such as AirPods Max and Apple Pay T-money (a transportation card), as well as exclusive membership benefits. KT is running a promotion in which customers who purchase an iPhone 17 series device and sign up for Device Choice can receive up to a 100% discount on AirPods Pro 2nd generation and AirPods 4th generation. LG Uplus is providing pre-order customers with official Apple accessories and benefits such as storage upgrades (for iPhone Air).

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics has also launched new mobile devices in a counter-move. On this day, Samsung unveiled a range of new products, including the Galaxy S25 FE (Fan Edition) smartphone, the Galaxy Tab S11 series of tablet PCs, and the Galaxy Buds 3 FE wireless earbuds. Among these, the Galaxy S25 FE is a so-called "value-for-money" model that incorporates the main premium features of the Galaxy S series while offering lower specifications. Despite supporting the same Galaxy AI features as the Galaxy S25 series, its launch price was set at 946,000 won to make it more affordable.

Yonhap News Agency