2013073024276094 
Apple iPad FRUIT TREE COMPARISON FALL 2013 :

MODEL . . . iPad . . . . iPad 2. . . . NEW . . . . iPad 4 . . . iPad Air . . . . Mini . . . . . Retina . .
RELEASE. 2010.4 . . . 2011.3 . . . 2012.3 . . . 2012.11 . . 2013.11 . . . 2012.11 . . . 2013.11 .

SCREEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.7″ iPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | . . . . 7.9″ iPS . . . . . .
RESOLU . . . . 1024 x 768 . . . | . . . . . Retina : 2048 x 1536 . . . . . . 1024 x 768 . . Retina .
CAMERA. . . — . . . . . . . . . 300k . . . . . . | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
REAR . . . . . — . . . . . 700k . . | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5M AF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CPU . . . . . . A4 . . . . . . A5 . . . . . . A5X . . . . . A6X . . . . . . A7 . . . . . . A5 . . . . . . . A7 . . .
RAM . . . . 256MB . . . 512MB . | . . . . . . . . . 1024MB . . . . . . . . . . | . 512MB . . . 1024MB .
STORAGE . . . . . . 16 / 32 / 64GB . . . . . . | . 16 / 32 / 64 / 128GB . . 16/32/64 . . . +128GB .
BATTERY . . . . 6700mAh . . . . | . . . . 11500mAh . . . | . 8800mAh . . 4400mAh. . . 6400mAh

SIZE . . 24.3x19x1.3 . . . . . . 24.1×18.6×0.9cm . . . . . . 24x17x.75 . 20×13.4x.72 . 20×13.4x.75
WEIGHT . . . 680g . . . . 601g . . | . . . . . . 650g . . . . . . | . . 469g . . . . . . 308g . . . . . 331g . .

 

. . . . DEVICE . . Apple.com . . (trade) . . Cellular . . . . (trade) . .

Mini Retina 16GB . . $399 . . . . . . . . . . . . $529 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mini Retina 32GB . . $499 . . . . . . . . . . . . $629 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mini Retina 64GB . . $599 . . . . . . . . . . . . $729 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mini Retina 128G . . $699 . . . . . . . . . . . . $829 . . . . . . . . . . . .

iPad Air . . 16GB . . $499 . . W630,000 . . $629 . . . . W780,000
iPad Air . . 32GB . . $599 . . W750,000 . . $729 . . . . W910,000
iPad Air . . 64GB . . $699 . . W870,000 . . $829 . . . W1,030,000
iPad Air . . 128G . . $799 . . W990,000 . . $929 . . . W1,190,000

 

( Current Situation ) iPad Air released onto early countries around the Globe on the Weekend of November 1st, with Mini Retina expected end of November .

GOING RATE ON INDIVIDUAL MARKET : and again as much travelers to South Korea : *trade value listed above are those sold by indiviuals from either Japan, Hong Kong, Australia or the States, with iPad Air 32GB unopened selling at roughly W800,000 and W750,000 just opened . these are from those who have them in-hand, so independent stores taking orders are a few W10,000 lower taking several days to arrive . then two Weeks later in mid-November : going list dropped W50,000 over-all as more (still new, un-opened) devices become available from travelers . with NEW Apple leather Smart-Covers selling at W110,000 .

LEVIED TAX : although you can order directly from abroad in the Global age, early adopters choose to buy directly from local travelers because a VAT value-added tax is implied on inbound merchandise costing over W150,000 – thus the Official Korean On-Line Store always had this added to Original US pricing . chances of being caught are half-half on first class mail-equivalent general parcel, but increase with priority-equivalent registered freight (although very likely you won’t have to pay on opened boxes OR carrying-in an unopened one on flight). import duty has been exempt from the first iPad release days .

:

AVAILABILITY : by its third Weekend, these new iPads are readily available from individual buyers, reminiscent of the heydays of early digital cameras, when small merchants hurried them from neighboring Japan, across the South strait onto NanPoDong in Busan .. White models are dominantly popular while 128GB is rare to find, and cellular models are started to appear a good 10-days after States-side release .

WHICH TO CHOOSE : Air vs.Retina ? for some people : there’s more to annoy upon, since Apple released Mini – adding to the existing decision between iPhone/iPad/MacBook combination . buying all is NOT the answer even if you have money, for constant sync and clutter . still you might buy BOTH Air and Mini Retina, then pick the one you use more (will be evident by the second Week) as long as the latest models are NOT yet available in South Korea and you can recover a good portion of your air trip if you bring a couple over from, say Japan or Hong Kong then resell 😉

:

WARRANTY : something that came into light since many locals have been buying iPad Air and Mini Retina from travelers since no news yet of its release into Korea : ALL iPads including cellular versions are fully acceptable for repair under World warranty including South Korea . I can deduct Apple Korea’s attitude has changed recently : because cellular iPad had been known NOT to be under local warranty when bought abroad, as iPhones have been .

:

:

( November 25th Monday ) a device believed to be either iPad Air OR Mini Retina seems to have passed local mandatory frequency certification today from National Radio Research Agency . and considering passed products were released onto local market 2~3 Weeks after this inspection, Air might come well before Christmas ~ yippee

:

( ThanksGiving and BLACK FRIDAY ) Happy & Merry BUT Sorry : NO such concept here in the Koreas, nor Orient -_- but will lend a hint on the cheapest way to purchase a Wi-Fi iPad Air or Mini Retina :

all electronics devices in South Korea cost almost 10% more than the Official Apple Store States-side because they’ve added local tax . so get it on your next Visa-run in neighboring Japan, where it will be more cheaper than South Korea (expected to be released in a couple of Weeks) plus you can get 5% detax if you submit your PassPort for electronics costing more than Y10,000 (Japan’s VAT value-added tax expected to hike to 8% next April, then even 10% in October 2015). thus an iPad Air 128GB can be Y77,905 !

Sorry : No, No and No . they do NOT yet sell iPad Air NOR Mini Retinas at Duty-Free Shops NOR international Airports in Korea -_-

:

:

( December 4th Update ) BOTH Wi-Fi as well as Cellular versions of iPad Air and Mini Retina will be released in South Korea from 20th Friday ~

( December 10th Update ) iPad Air and Mini Retina will be released in a Week : Monday December 16th into South Korea . while the ONLY Official Apple Store which is On-Line, is maintaining its boring cool as usual : the first and largest of Korea’s what-ever Premium ReSeller since the influx of the belated iPhone : Frisbee will have its “Early-Bird Event” in their two main stores in GwangHwaMun (smack dead-centre of the old downtown SEOUL, next to the American Embassy) AND ShinNonHyun subway station (one of the joyful few intersections where multiple Apple ReSeller Stores compete, this in riche KangNam), where they have previously offered :

  1. presents of first 100 buyers,
  2. buy-in program for older models,
  3. installment payment on certain credit cards,
  4. all limited to two per customer,

also two of Korea’s main telecommunication companies in SK and KT will begin to sell the cellular versions as well on the same date 😉

:

:

( December 11th Update ) South Korea’s main cellular carriers are both taking reservations for cellular models with W120,000 OFF on 2-year subscription . KT is further giving out Genuine Apple SmartCovers, while SKT is offering FREE ! data-sharing plan to those who already have a subscription with a smartphone – effective for reservations until this Sunday, the day before its Official release . thus the only merit of purchasing at the Official Apple Store which is On-Line only, is its 2 or 4 Week return policy //

:

( December 15th Sunday ) nearing zero hour of the release of iPad Air and Mini Retina : 20-or-so people are lining-up at the representative Apple ReSellers, notably Frisbee in MyeongDong smack dead-center of the classic fashion block in old downtown SEOUL AND across the Han River at HiMart in KangNam (aptly translated : South of the River), the latest electronics discount retailer to join receding Apple ReSellers in South Korea .

however having snowed the past Week with mid-night temperature just below freezing at -5 Celsius : queued customers are let into the stores 😉 for you don’t want any mishap in tomorrow morning’s newspaper front-page .

in a culture not used to lining-up at Apple Stores (fore-most because there is NO Official Apple Store on the Korean Peninsula except On-Line) nor at bus or subway stations .. Yeah-right, You /think/ you’re in queue but look the other way for a second : some are on the battle-field tonight because :

  1. most early reservations have run-out, and ReSeller as well as telecommunication branches have hinted they do not have enough in stock – especially Mini Retinas . this comes as both of South Korea’s main cellular distributors KT and SKT have run-out of iPhone 5S stock in all capacities, while Apple On-Line Store still have ample to ship-out in a couple of days .. even 64GB Gold 0o0
  2. most larger ReSellers are having an unprecedented “Early-Bird” Event whose content is slowly being known at opening time dawns ..
    • about W130,000 department store coupons to front-liners,
    • then about W2~30,000 coupons or in-store points to the next 100,
    • Apple SmartCover,
    • currently HiMart the new ReSeller, seems to be in competition with eMart super-mart to topple the best give-aways ..

:

( D-Day 1am ) Official Apple On-Line Store Korea has begun selling iPad Air as well as Mini Retina, with expected shipping in 3~5 days 😉 and below comparing prices of Official On-Line Stores States-side, Japan and South Korea .

. . . . DEVICE . . Apple.com . Apple.com/jp . Apple.com/kr . .

Mini Retina 16GB . . $399 . . . . Y41,800 . . . . W500,000 . .
Mini Retina 32GB . . $499 . . . . Y51,800 . . . . W620,000 . .
Mini Retina 64GB . . $599 . . . . Y61,800 . . . . W740,000 . .
Mini Retina 128G . . $699 . . . . Y71,800 . . . . W860,000 . .

MR Cellular 16GB . . $529 . . . . ———- . . . . W650,000 . .
MR Cellular 32GB . . $629 . . . . ———- . . . . W770,000 . .
MR Cellular 64GB . . $729 . . . . ———- . . . . W890,000 . .
MR Cellular 128G . . $829 . . . . ———- . . . . W650,000 . .

iPad Air. . . 16GB . . $499 . . . . Y51,800 . . . . W620,000 . .
iPad Air. . . 32GB . . $599 . . . . Y61,800 . . . . W740,000 . .
iPad Air. . . 64GB . . $699 . . . . Y71,800 . . . . W860,000 . .
iPad Air. . . 128G . . $799 . . . . Y81,800 . . . . W999,000 . .

Air Cellular. 16GB . . $629 . . . . ———- . . . . W770,000 . .
Air Cellular. 32GB . . $729 . . . . ———- . . . . W890,000 . .
Air Cellular. 64GB . . $829 . . . . ———- . . . . W999,000 . .
Air Cellular. 128G . . $929 . . . . ———- . . . W1,120,000 . .

  • US Cellular models are with subscription with carrier, while Korean Cellular models are unlocked .
  • States do not include tax, while is included in Japan and Korea .
  • then with currency conversion : US and Japan are about the same, while Korea is a bit expensive – for example a good W100,000 more on 32GB Wi-Fi models – which would be local tax .
  • so if you consider Japan deducts -5% tax for visiting foreigners, it is quite a bargain to get it on your next Visa-run ~ only thing is that Japan don’t sell unlocked Cellular versions .
  • as ReSellers are giving-out discounts, the Official On-Line Store Korea would be the most expensive, whose only merit is that you can REFUND within 2 Weeks and exchange in 30 Days // still in South Korea : you would have to fight for this other-wise (including Frisbee and other whatever ReSellers), except if you purchase from a conglomerate-run “general” outlet like eMart, because they have much lenient refund/exchange policy from in influx of Cable-TV shopping days, when they HAD to offer such to lure people to buy before seeing it first-hand .

:

( D-Day 5am ) around 50 people are reported to be in line on larger eMart supar-mart throughout the Peninsula .. currently -7 degrees Celsius below freezing temperature //

( 9am Update  ) as most eMarts open either 9 or 10am : over 100 lining-up at most eMart, while JookJeon have topple 200 . the number 100 or 200 is the catalyst because it depends if you’re going to receive almost W300,000 worth of give-aways . NOT at all branches but at quite out-of-way locations, and NOT giving-away a choice of, but ALL of below !

  • for the first 100 customers (200 for JookJeon Branch) at YeonSu, WolGae, SeoSooWon, DaeJeon Terminal, ChangWon, SungSoo, EunPyeong, ShinJeJu, HaeUnDae, WolBae, GangRung and GoJang Branches)
  • SennHeiser MM55i earphone,
  • 6600mAh portable battery pack,
  • PowerSupport screen protective film,
  • Logitech K760 BlueTooth keyboard (JookJeon, YeonSu, DaeJeon Terminal and SungSoo Branches)
  • W30,000 ShinSeGae Department Store shopping coupon

as for Premium ReSellers : Frisbee is giving away BlueTooth headsets, while Concierge W30,000 discount . while most have enough iPad Air, some have only 10~20 Mini Retinas, then Cellular stock shrinks down to mere 2~5 per branch -_-

:

( D-Day＋2 December 18th Wednesday ) Monday dawn began as a memorable event for many iPad fans, as they arranged to arrive late at work instead to ponder which store to buy it . and on this round of release of iPad Air and Mini Retina : the newer ReSellers were the news as HiMart rose to the top giving $400,000 ~ 500,000 discount to first-in-line and eMart almost W300,000 worth of accessories to the first 100 ~ 200 depending upon branch . still most branches had NOT received iPad Air 128GB yet and Mini Retina was in much-short supply, as for Cellular version of both models . some got extra in stock today -_-

in contrast the ONLY Official Apple Store in South Korea which is On-Line had ample of all models and version with only 3~5 Day shipping expectancy . (iPhone 5S are even shipping-out the same-day now, even GOLD 😉 although this is the most expensive option paying full-price, you get a FULL REFUND if returned in 14-Days, and EXCHANGE within 30-Days of purchase . here they have retracted on Warranty as this *used to be both Refund AND Exchange within a Month -_-

:

– Korea Tech BLog –