New care service covers theft and loss

Lotte Himart is accepting pre-orders for Apple's iPhone 18 Pro series at stores nationwide through Thursday. [Lotte Himart]
Lotte Himart is accepting pre-orders for Apple's iPhone 18 Pro series at stores nationwide through Thursday. [Lotte Himart]

Lotte Himart said it is accepting pre-orders for Apple's iPhone 18 Pro series through Thursday.

In-store pre-orders began Sunday. Customers who complete both a pre-order and activation of a carrier-bound model will receive 10,000 L.Points. Purchases made with a partner credit card qualify for a discount of up to 270,000 won ($202) and interest-free installments of up to 24 months. Each carrier will also provide premium accessories as gifts.

For SIM-free models, customers paying with a participating card can receive up to 10 percent cashback and interest-free installments of up to 24 months. Genuine Apple cases purchased alongside a pre-order are available at 50 percent off.

On the online shopping mall, customers buying SIM-free models can earn L.Points and receive a discount when purchasing an AppleCare service plan at the same time.

Lotte Himart is also offering trade-in compensation for used phones and budget mobile plan options. Through its "trade-in for cash" service, customers can receive compensation based on the type and condition of the device they return. For an iPhone 16 Pro Max, the payout is expected to reach up to 1 million won.

Customers who sign up for the exclusive mobile virtual network operator plan "Himart Plan" can use a 30GB unlimited data plan for 7,900 won per month for one year. Lotte Himart is also introducing a premium care service for Apple devices — billed as the first in South Korea to cover theft and loss — that retains the core benefits of Apple's official warranty while adding one theft or loss claim during the two-year service period.

"We have put together a range of purchase benefits exclusive to Lotte Himart for customers who have been waiting for the new iPhone," said Lee Eon-seok, head of Lotte Himart's smart home appliance division.


spa@heraldcorp.com