Apple Adjusts iPad Mini Marketing Imagery for South Korean Market — Smartphones and mobile

Apple has modified its promotional materials for the new iPad mini in South Korea by removing images of pinched fingers, a gesture that holds negative cultural connotations in the region. While the U.S. and other international sites display the device being held with this grip, the South Korean version shows the tablet alone.

Apple has tailored its online presentation of the new iPad mini for the South Korean market by omitting images that depict the device being held with pinched fingers. In the United States and most other countries, the company's website features promotional shots where the tablet is grasped using this specific hand gesture. However, on the South Korean version of the site, Apple displays an image of the iPad mini standing alone without any hands visible.

This adjustment aligns with a similar decision made for the iPhone Air in 2025, where Apple also excluded pinched-finger imagery from its South Korean website while retaining it for the U.S. market. Reports indicate that in South Korea, the pinched-fingers gesture or emoji is interpreted by some as a symbol used to mock the size of men's genitals. Consequently, the company has chosen to avoid this visual representation in that specific region.

The new iPad mini was recently announced with several upgrades, including a larger 8.5-inch OLED display, a nano-texture option, and an A20 Pro chip. The device also features a thinner design, IP67 water and dust resistance, and a landscape front camera. Despite these significant hardware changes, Apple has not issued any official comment regarding the specific marketing adjustments made for South Korea.

Sources: MacRumors.