Cupertino-based tech giant Apple has reportedly come to the city of Seoul in South Korea to look for a new place for a retail store.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple has been considering putting up a retail store in Seoul, and has checked various spots - one along the city's Garosu-gil shopping area and another one near Samsung 's flagship store in Gangnam.
The sources note that it might take a year before Apple may finally open a retail store in South Korea. Tech Crunch noted that, based on history, Apple scouts various places for possible retail locations, but some of these locations never become a reality, so it is better to take the news with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, the idea of Apple planting a retail store in rival Samsung's (and contender LG's) home turf is a pretty bold move.
Apple currently relies on third-party sellers to penetrate the South Korean market, steadily and hopefully inching its way into the public's pockets. Market reports show that Apple was able to get a 25 percent share of the market in 2014 with the release of the iPhone 6, but saw a decrease to 10 percent during the second quarter of 2016.
Having an official physical retail store in Seoul could help boost Apple's sales in an otherwise Galaxy-dominated market. According to Apple Insider, analyst Lee Seung-Woo said that with Samsung's current predicament with the Galaxy Note 7, Apple just might get a significant boost in sales.