Why iPhones are still criticized in South Korea

Samsung users in South Korea can easily make payments, ride buses, and record calls. iPhone users cannot.

For years, iPhone users in South Korea looked on enviously at Samsung's Galaxy, as features that seemed basic were luxuries for them. But now, after full support for Apple Pay, call recording and transcript capabilities, and integration with public transportation payments, the iPhone has become a device "truly for Koreans."

According to the Korean Herald , on July 22nd, Apple and T-money officially launched a nationwide transportation payment feature for iPhones and Apple Watches. This is seen as the final missing piece, which had previously led many to call the iPhone an "incomplete" product in South Korea.

The iPhone is a symbol of luxury, but it's never "Korean enough."

Typically, Galaxy users can pay at most stores using Samsung Pay's MST technology, swipe their transport cards on buses and subways, and easily record calls. iPhone users, on the other hand, always have to compromise.

“I use Galaxy because I have to. Many people think Samsung Pay is just a convenience, but call recording isn't. In my profession, all contracts with clients are done over the phone. If anything goes wrong and I don't record it, I'll be held responsible,” said Kim Min-seok (38), a sales manager at an electronics company in Seoul.

iPhones and Apple Watches now support NFC payments for shopping (left) and South Korea's national transportation card system (right). Photo: Apple.

Unlike many countries, in South Korea, recording phone calls without the other party's consent is legal and can be used as evidence in court. This is completely contrary to Apple's global privacy policy.

Although iOS 18.1 finally added call recording functionality to the default phone app, the system will always notify the other party. This renders the feature useless in South Korea.

In October 2023, SK Telecom launched the “A.” app, which allows iPhone users to record calls, receive AI-generated summaries directly within the app, search for content, and play it back by topic.

Speaking to the Korean Herald , Kim said he recently switched to an iPhone 15 after the company allowed the use of the "A." app. However, he still considers it a compromise. "It works, but it's not like the Galaxy. On the Galaxy, you just press a button and you're done," he said.

Furthermore, Samsung Pay, launched in 2015, quickly became the standard mobile payment method in South Korea. It supports most card types and works on almost any payment terminal, even those without NFC support. Apple Pay, on the other hand, relies on NFC technology and only launched in South Korea in March 2023 through Hyundai Card, nine years after its global release.

Even upon its launch, Apple Pay only worked with a limited number of cards and at only a small fraction of points of sale. According to Hyundai Card's communications director, Shim Hyun-jung, the rollout was "technically successful, but commercially limited."

"We understand that Korean users have been waiting a long time. But the infrastructure isn't ready, and the domestic financial ecosystem needs time to adapt to Apple's model," she said.

The launch of Apple Pay sparked a surge in Hyundai Card registrations, particularly among young people. However, this expansion stalled as other card issuers hesitated due to Apple's transaction fees. To this day, Apple Pay remains exclusive to Hyundai Card.

Sacrificing convenience for the iPhone ecosystem.

However, not everyone feels they have been wronged.

“I’ve never felt like my iPhone was missing anything. I’ve never thought of Apple Pay as a basic feature. I always carry my wallet with me,” said JY (24), a university student in Seoul. She has used an iPhone since high school and likes Apple products for their design and seamless synchronization with her iPad and MacBook.

Her perspective reflects a different group of users. They prefer the Apple ecosystem over the South Korean company's solutions. Among South Koreans in their 20s, especially women, the iPhone dominates. According to a 2024 Gallup Korea survey, 75% of women in this age group use an iPhone, compared to 55% of men.

Currently, the list of missing features is complete, but Apple's market share in South Korea remains limited. Photo: Apple.

However, for a segment of Apple users in South Korea, the lack of these features is unacceptable. This is most evident in the Asamo community (an abbreviation for iPhone users in Korean) on the Naver Cafe platform. With over 2.3 million members, Asamo is a gathering place for iPhone users to find solutions to limitations, share usage tips, and get news updates.

“We don’t want to criticize anything. We just want the phone to function to meet the needs of the Korean market. Galaxy users have long been able to make payments, ride buses, and record calls easily. iPhone users can’t. We use the same type of device, but it only has half the functionality,” said Jang Soo-min (31), a marketing specialist and veteran administrator at Asamo.

On the day Apple Pay T-money officially launched, Jang was one of the first to set it up on his iPhone and Apple Watch. “This is the Korean version of the Apple ecosystem I’ve been waiting for. It’s nothing new, just finally complete,” he shared.

However, even with a complete list of features, Apple will still only hold 24% of the market share in South Korea by July 2025, according to Gallup Korea . Samsung currently dominates with 72%.

"This won't cause a mass switch of Galaxy users to iPhones. Those who wanted iPhones have already been using them for a long time. Now it's just that their lives are more convenient," said Hwang Ah-yeon of the Korea Consumer Protection Agency.

Source: https://znews.vn/dieu-khien-iphone-luon-bi-che-o-han-quoc-post1572547.html