Apple initiates pre-orders for iPhone 4S

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple and select partners began taking pre-orders of its new iPhone 4S smartphone early Friday ahead of its October 14th launch date, though some outlets, including Apple's own online store, ran behind schedule [updated].



The Cupertino, Calif., iPhone maker initiated advance sales of the iPhone 4S early Friday, slightly later than originally promised. For those unsure whether they are eligible for an upgrade, Apple offers customers the ability to check eligibility with its three wireless carrier partners in the U.S.



Verizon, Sprint and AT&T began offering pre-orders on their websites on Friday. Vodafone in the U.K. has also started pre-orders of the handset. The 16GB, 32GB and 64GB iPhone 4S models sell for $199, $299 and $399, respectively, with a 2-year contract in the U.S.



Update: Even after preorders began, online orders from Apple and its carrier partners struggled with user demand. Apple's website at times showed errors stating that the site was not taking orders, though the process improved by later Friday morning.



The new handset will launch on Oct. 14 in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the U.K. Customers will be able to purchase the device from the Apple Online Store, Apple's retail stores, select Apple Authorized Resellers and participating wireless operators.







Apple is pursuing its fastest international roll-out ever for the iPhone. Following the initial roll-out, the new handset will arrive in 22 more countries later this month. The company expects to sell the device in 70 countries on 100 carriers by the end of 2011.



The iPhone 4S was unveiled at an Apple media event on Tuesday. The handset features the same external design as the iPhone 4, while sporting improved internals, such as the A5 processor, a 8-megapixel camera and a re-designed antenna. Apple is also touting the Siri voice assistant feature available exclusively on the new smartphone.







According to All Things D's Ina Fried, Apple plans to offer an unlocked version of the iPhone 4S, though the company has yet to announce pricing. However, Apple warns in the fine print on its website that CDMA functionality is only available on the handset if it is "sold and activated for use on a CDMA network."



Apple will likely have bolstered its servers in preparation for crushing pre-order demand. Last year, the company experienced a meltdown with its online store and phone lines due to overwhelming customer interest in pre-ordering the iPhone 4.







Total pre-order sales are expected to outstrip last year's record, given that 16 months have passed since the iPhone 4 was released and Sprint and Verizon are generally believed to have pent up demand among their subscribers. Though Verizon began selling the iPhone 4 in February, recent surveys have suggested that many of the carrier's subscribers have been waiting for the release of a new iPhone.



Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities believes the fifth-generation iPhone will "shatter" sales records set by the iPhone 4 last year.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 245
    akacakac Posts: 512member
    All I'm seeing is "We'll be back soon". I'm not seeing any pre-order availability at all yet. 2:15 AM CST.
  • Reply 2 of 245
    negafoxnegafox Posts: 480member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Akac View Post


    All I'm seeing is "We'll be back soon". I'm not seeing any pre-order availability at all yet. 2:15 AM CST.



    Yeah, same here. I'm staring at the AT&T and Apple websites and no go so far.
  • Reply 3 of 245
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Negafox View Post


    Yeah, same here. I'm staring at the AT&T and Apple websites and no go so far.



    ATT seems ready..but I'm not sure whether to pull the trigger there or Apple.com.
  • Reply 4 of 245
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Negafox View Post


    Yeah, same here. I'm staring at the AT&T and Apple websites and no go so far.



    Yep, 12:18 AM PST, still "We'll be back soon."
  • Reply 5 of 245
    Verizon was up 3 minutes early. Ordered with no issues
  • Reply 6 of 245
    dooghdoogh Posts: 37member
    Awesome -.-
  • Reply 7 of 245
    akacakac Posts: 512member
    AT&T finally showed it...but the site is going slowly.
  • Reply 8 of 245
    twelvetwelve Posts: 49member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by LionFan View Post


    Verizon was up 3 minutes early. Ordered with no issues



    any luck with Sprint? I can't get past the pre-order button. Arrrrrrgh!
  • Reply 9 of 245
    akacakac Posts: 512member
    Ack, no. AT&T shows iPhone 4s in the upgrade screen, but then only old iPhone 4s in the device selector.
  • Reply 10 of 245
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Akac View Post


    AT&T finally showed it...but the site is going slowly.



    I got past the check upgrade part and then it gave me an error and said "Cannot complete online call M-F..blah blah"
  • Reply 11 of 245
    store.apple.com/ca is not live yet…
  • Reply 12 of 245
    tylerk36tylerk36 Posts: 1,037member
    Hello, I am not sure how to start a new forum on this site. I want to start one called bronze statute of steve at 1 infinite loop. I think that a tribute to him would be nice at the apple HQ. Maybe one of him holding an iPod Classic. He deserves some sort of recognition to show all the new generations who are getting to know the products he designed that he was the reason Apple came back from the brink and that he was the reason the i generation existed in personal devices. I wish I could start a thread here to get the apple insiders attention. Is any one else with me.
  • Reply 13 of 245
    I'm still not able to buy or see the iPhone 4s. All I see is the iPhone 4. No go at Apple site.



    What gives?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Akac View Post


    AT&T finally showed it...but the site is going slowly.



  • Reply 13 of 245
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Akac View Post


    Ack, no. AT&T shows iPhone 4s in the upgrade screen, but then only old iPhone 4s in the device selector.



    That's what I'm seeing as well.
  • Reply 15 of 245
    nwmacnwmac Posts: 6member
    I was able to preorder an iPhone 4S through Verizon for my wife, but I'm on AT&T, and I'm having trouble getting my phone now with AT&T. I hit the "pre-order" button, but the next page only gave me the option to order the standard iPhone 4, not the 4S. Apple Store is down too. Frustrating.
  • Reply 16 of 245
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by artificialintel View Post


    That's what I'm seeing as well.



    Apple's store is still NOT BACK WHAT THE HELL
  • Reply 17 of 245
    hmayeshmayes Posts: 29member
    Ugh. Still getting "We'll be back soon" at the Apple online store. It's 3:26 AM EDT!



    Is anyone getting to the Apple online store?
  • Reply 18 of 245
    rf9rf9 Posts: 70member
    Apple store is still "We'll be back soon" and AT&T gives me an error after I pass the eligibility check. 12:25am. I'm surprised that the blogs are all reporting that pre orders have begun when Apple hasn't started yet.
  • Reply 19 of 245
    [QUOTE=AppleInsider;1959806]Apple and select partners began taking pre-orders of its new iPhone 4S smartphone early Friday ahead of its October 14th launch date.



    As promised, ......



    AT 3:26 EST Att site unavailable - but apple store still "We'll be back soon." So are these headlines news or speculation?
  • Reply 20 of 245
    1swift1swift Posts: 23member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rf9 View Post


    Apple store is still "We'll be back soon" and AT&T gives me an error after I pass the eligibility check. 12:25am. I'm surprised that the blogs are all reporting that pre orders have begun when Apple hasn't started yet.



    I could have pulled the trigger via the ATT app...but it was not clear I was keeping my grandfathered unlimited data



    I'm on hold and trying to work with ATT site, its not going to well
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