TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro will be released for pre-order Friday night (Oct. 16) at 8 p.m. Taiwan time, with special offers available for those who order them before they hit local stores later this month.
Apple Inc. on Tuesday (Oct. 13) unveiled its first 5G phone, the iPhone 12, which is thinner, lighter, and comes with a serious upgrade to its camera system. Experts have observed an especially strong demand in Taiwan for the latest models.
Although the company says pre-orders begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, leading Taiwnase carrier Chunghwa Telecom (CHT, 中華電信) began allowing iPhone 12 pre-orders on Wednesday (Oct. 14). Its pre-order quota was filled in merely 45 minutes, with 35 percent going to the iPhone 12 Pro.
Taiwan Star Telecom (TSTAR) and Asia Pacific Telecom Co (APT) also began taking pre-orders on Wednesday. Far EasTone (FETnet) and Taiwan Mobile (TWM) will accept pre-orders starting on Friday at 8 p.m. as designated.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 mini and Pro Max, however, will commence in three weeks on Nov. 6. Their official release date is Nov. 13.
Prices for the iPhone 12 lineup in New Taiwan dollars:
| Storage | iPhone 12 | 12 mini | 12 Pro | 12 Pro Max |
| 64 GB | NT$ 26,900 | NT$ 23,900 | N/A | N/A |
| 128 GB | NT$ 28,500 | NT$ 25,500 | NT$ 33,900 | NT$ 37,900 |
| 256 GB | NT$ 32,000 | NT$ 29,000 | NT$ 37,400 | NT$ 41,400 |
| 512 GB | N/A | N/A | NT$ 44,400 | NT$ 48,400 |
iPhone pre-order/release dates and special offers:
| Telecom provider | iPhone 12／12 Pro | Special offers for pre-orders |
| CHT | Pre-orders began on Oct. 14. The pre-order quota was filled. The new phones will be officially released at 8 a.m. on Oct. 23. | N/A |
| FETnet | Pre-orders began at 8 p.m. on Oct. 16 on online/offline stores. The official release date is Oct. 23. | Customers can get a gift voucher worth NT$1,000 for Apple iPhone accessories and are eligible for a lucky draw to win a Nintendo Switch. |
| TWM | Pre-orders began at 8 p.m. on Oct. 16 on online/offline stores. Pre-orders are available on the myfone and momo shopping sites. The official release date is Oct. 23. | Customers can pre-order the phones with only NT$3,000. Those applying for a designated 5G plan before Nov. 30 can get a gift voucher worth up to NT$3,000 that can be spent at momoshop.com. Those placing pre-orders on the myfone website are eligible for credit card promotions and can get a free Apple USB-C as well as 40 percent off select Apple iPhone accessories. |
| TSTAR | Pre-orders began on Oct. 14. The official release date is Oct. 23. | Customers can buy AirPods Pro at half price (NT$3,995) after placing pre-orders. |
| APT | Pre-orders began on Oct. 14. | N/A |
The budget-minded who want to own a new iPhone can consider the iPhone 11, iPhone XR, and iPhone SE. Price cuts on these phones range from NT$5,400 to NT$1,000, without the contract, according to the website.
