Final hurdle cleared for iPhone sales in Korea

This is such a convoluted situation that I myself have been thoroughly confused about what's going on: I had thought that Apple had already gotten final approval for the iPhone, but in fact it came today. The story is also carried by AP, Reuters, Yonhap, Chosun Ilbo.

From Reuters:

Apple's iPhone is set to make its South Korean debut in a few weeks after the local regulator cleared the final hurdle for sales of the blockbuster phone in a market home to 47 million mobile phone users.

iPhone's entry could weigh on local market leaders, Samsung Electronics, and LG Electronics, which are also the world's second and third-biggest mobile phone makers.

Korea Communications Commission said in a statement on Wednesday it would grant Apple's South Korean unit a licence that allows collecting information on locations and provide services such as map, phone locating and related marketing.

KT Corp, the country's No. 2 mobile carrier which has been negotiating with Apple to introduce iPhone, said sales could start soon but did not provide a date for the launch.

Korean newspapers said iPhone's sales could start as early as late next week.

iPhones are fun. I enjoy mine, but let's not kid ourselves: many Korean cell phones do much the same thing. The appeal for an Anglophone is that a lot of cool things will now be accessible in English. But for the average Korean consumer, it will be a load of meh.

And I say this as a lover of all things Apple.