Buying an iPhone Duo for 3.84 million won? ... 1.32 million won more than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 [IT Item of the Day]

[Financial News] Apple Inc.'s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, is set to launch in South Korea on the 23rd. It was found to cost about 1.32 million won more to buy than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 from Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. This figure includes the handset price plus the fee for a care service plan that covers damage and other issues. With repair costs also differing considerably if the display is damaged while the user is not enrolled in a care plan, there are calls for buyers of foldable phones to carefully consider not just the handset price but also maintenance and repair costs.
According to industry sources on the 22nd, the domestic retail price of the iPhone Duo 256GB model is 3.29 million won. That is about 1.01 million won more than the 2,278,100-won retail price of the 256GB Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.
The difference grows when care plan fees are included. A two-year AppleCare+ plan for the iPhone Duo costs 549,000 won, bringing the total, including the device, to 3,839,000 won. For the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, the two-year New Galaxy AI Subscription Club plan costs 9,900 won per month, or 237,600 won in total. Adding that to the device price brings the total to about 2,515,700 won, making the iPhone Duo about 1,323,300 won more expensive.
The Subscription Club includes Samsung Care+ and a residual-value guarantee of up to 50%. The fee for the two-year plan is on par with Samsung Care+ and can be paid monthly. The two-year AppleCare+ plan requires a single upfront payment of 549,000 won at enrollment.
Estimated display repair costs also differ if the user is not enrolled in a care plan. Repairing the iPhone Duo's inner display costs 1,649,000 won, nearly half the price of the device. Repairing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8's main display is estimated to cost about 774,000 won. The difference in repair costs between the two products is about 875,000 won.
Because display damage can lead to high repair costs for foldable phones, whether buyers enroll in a care plan affects the total cost of purchase. The iPhone Duo's device price plus its AppleCare+ fee comes close to 3.84 million won, prompting calls for buyers to check the coverage and repair costs before making a purchase.
An industry official said, "There is growing awareness that when buying a foldable device, people should consider the total cost, not just the product price. With the iPhone Duo's launch in South Korea expected to renew interest in domestic foldable phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, buyers should carefully compare care plan fees, repair costs and residual-value guarantees before making a purchase."


[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter