Apple's iPad to go on sale in S.Korea on Nov. 30
South Korea's wireless operator KT said Sunday it would start selling Apple's iPad on November 30 amid growing competition in the potentially lucrative tablet computer market.
KT, the nation's sole distributor of Apple's iPhone and iPad, said the popular tablet PC would start at 218,000 won (192 dollars) with a two-year contract, rising to 865,000 won with additional features.
More than 40,000 South Koreans have pre-ordered the popular gadget since November 17, a KT spokesman said, adding the company would begin sending out products on November 30.
The announcement comes after South Korea's Samsung Electronics launched its own tablet computer last week in the domestic market in a bid to get the jump on Apple.
Apple has sold more than 7 million iPads worldwide since its market debut in January.
Samsung Electronics, which has already introduced Galaxy Tab in countries like the US and Italy, aims to sell over a million units globally by the end of 2010.
Global computer and handset makers have scurried to respond to the roaring success of Apple's iPhone and iPad.
Tablet PCs feature bigger screens than smartphones and have no keyboards, instead employing touch screens or stylus pens.
The global tablet PC market is expected to expand to 30 million units next year from 13 million this year, according to industry data.
(c) 2010 AFP
