U.S. tech giant Apple Inc.'s latest iPhone 6s series is set to reach the South Korean market, industry sources said Friday, signaling another battle with domestic brands such as Samsung and LG.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, first showcased last month, will be available for purchase through the country's three mobile carriers on Oct. 23, the source said. Pre-orders are expected to start on Oct. 16.

The devices first landed in a handful of countries including the United States and China on Sept. 25.

Industry watchers said Apple's release of its latest products will rise as a challenge for Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., which have been already struggling to cut sales costs in hopes of taking a larger slice of the local market.

Earlier this week, Samsung Electronics slashed the price on the 64-GB Galaxy S6 to 799,700 won ($688) from the previous 924,000 won.

LG Electronics also commenced the sales of the 5.7-inch LG V10 that features a QHD IPS Quantum display and a small rectangular display above the larger screen with a factory price of 799,700 won. It is rare for a South Korean tech giant to release a flagship model with an initial local price of below 800,000 won. (Yonhap)