Advance iPhone 4 Sales Go Through the Roof

Apple sold more than 100,000 units of its new iPhone 4 Wednesday in Korea after advance sales began at 6 a.m. About 130,000 units were sold as of 5 p.m.

As sales began, more than 80,000 people flocked to KT’s online PhoneStore, slowing down the site.

Some customers said they gave up buying railway tickets for the Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) holidays, whose reservations began at the same time, to purchase the iPhone 4.

One of those listed for the “first delivery list” after making a successful purchase posted a message on the store’s bulletin board. “I`m very happy as if Korea’s national soccer team made the second round of the World Cup,” the buyer said.

Those who failed to get on the list expressed regret. The iPhone made more than 100,000 people either happy or upset.

In late November last year, KT sold 14,500 units of the iPhone 3 on the first day of advance sales and sold a combined 60,000 units over five days. Advance sales of the latest iPhone, however, reached 60,000 units in just three hours and 45 minutes.

The advance sale of the iPhone 4 will run through Aug. 24 at online and offline stores. Delivery dates are pending, however.

The iPhone 4 was released in the U.S. June 24 but is facing controversy due to reception problems when users grasp the phone’s left bottom.

sanhkim@donga.com