KEY POINTS

  • Apple is rumored to release an entry-level iPhone (iPhone 9) in the first quarter of this year
  • A new poster in South Korea says it is now accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 9 and even offers free AirPods
  • The poster is from Korea Telecom, one of the three major carriers in the country

TFI Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been talking about an entry-level iPhone arriving earlier than the company’s flagship smartphone series. Other reputable sites like Bloomberg, seemingly confirms this report, but, the smartphone was christened various names like iPhone SE 2 and iPhone 9. A new posting in South Korea seems to have confirmed earlier rumors and may have given away its official name, that is, iPhone 9.

New iPhone 9 Poster

The latest news about Apple’s entry-level iPhone 9 comes from a poster outside one of the retail stores of Korea Telecom. The company is one of the three major carriers in South Korea. The poster was photographed and reported by the Chinese tech site cnBeta.

The poster not only confirms the official name of the iPhone 9, but it also indicates that the affordable iPhone is up for pre-order. Additionally, it seems to suggest that those who pre-order the iPhone 9 would get a free pair of Apple AirPods. The same goes for the Samsung Galaxy S20 pre-order, which comes with a free Samsung Galaxy Buds+.

iPhone 8
Apple’s iPhone 8 is experiencing sluggish sales in South Korea. Reuters/Edgar Su

Interestingly, both the iPhone 9 and the Galaxy S20 were not yet officially announced by Apple and Samsung. But, there are whispers online, however, that the iPhone 9 is coming next month, while the Galaxy S20 series would unveil a few days from now at the Samsung Unpacked event. The poster is the first leak from a physical store that surfaces this year.

One of the photos leaked online shows a red iPhone 9 with the back part sporting a single rear camera. Its overall look resembles a lot like the iPhone 8. It seems to align with the rumored specs of the iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9. But, at this point, we suggest not to get too excited about this poster.

iPhone 9 Specs and Features

Based on earlier claims, the iPhone 9 would house Apple’s A13 Bionic chip, which is currently on the iPhone 11 series. Ming-Chi Kuo even predicted that it would retail at around $399. Other rumored specs for the iPhone 9 or iPhone SE 2 include 3 GB of RAM, Touch ID under the physical Home button, and 64 GB or 128 GB internal storage options.

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