From the iPhone 18 to a Foldable iPhone...Three Mobile Carriers Set to Ignite the Fall Number-Porting Market

[Financial News] The mobile number-porting market, which surged to 680,000 cases last month, is expected to heat up again with the launch of Apple’s new products. Following the iPhone 18 series this month, Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, will launch next month. As the two products arrive in succession, the three mobile carriers are expected to continue their battle to attract subscribers through October. Apple appears set to take over from Samsung’s new foldable devices, which recently fueled the number-porting market.
According to the telecommunications industry on the 13th, Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 series and its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, on the 10th. Preorders for the iPhone 18 series will run from the 12th through the 18th, while preorders for the iPhone Duo will begin next month.
The three mobile carriers are also seeking to attract subscribers alongside the iPhone 18 series launch by offering additional used-phone trade-in rewards, device discounts, and iCloud support. SK Telecom will provide compensation of up to 1.37 million won when iPhone 18 series preorder customers return their existing phones through T Safe Compensation. To target demand for higher storage capacity, the 2TB versions of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be sold exclusively through T Direct Shop.
At KT Direct Shop, customers who return their existing phones through KT M&S’s used-phone brand Reborn will receive an additional reward of up to 100,000 won on top of the used phone’s market value. Customers who pay for iCloud+ through Apple’s App Store using KT Mobile Payment will also receive 200GB free of charge for 12 months.
LG Uplus will give the first 3,000 customers a device discount coupon worth 200,000 won, which can be used when activating an iPhone 18 series device. Customers who sell their existing phones will receive an additional 150,000 won above the market price. Subscribers to the Plus Plan 115 or higher who use 200GB of iCloud+ through U+ Mobile Payment will have the full service fee covered for 24 months.
The three carriers are putting significant effort into attracting iPhone subscribers because the number-porting market has recently regained momentum. According to the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association (KTOA), the number of ported mobile numbers reached approximately 680,000 in August. Excluding January, when number porting temporarily rose to about 1 million after KT waived penalties following a personal-information leak, this was the highest monthly figure recorded so far this year. The increase is understood to reflect the impact of Samsung Electronics’ new Galaxy foldable devices, which feature a new “passport-style” form factor.
With Apple’s new products scheduled for release in September and October, the momentum in the number-porting market is likely to continue for some time. However, if pent-up demand for Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, proves strong, some replacement demand for the iPhone 18 series this month could be diverted.
An industry official explained, "The number-porting market will be more active than in ordinary months in both September and October," but added, "Because the iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldable phone, demand could be concentrated on the Duo rather than the iPhone 18." Another industry official said, "As retail prices rise, the burden on consumers replacing their phones is also increasing," adding, "Mobile carriers are expected to make various efforts to reduce subscribers’ psychological burden when making a purchase."

[email protected] Hyerim Choi Reporter