Apple’s recently announced iPhone 4S is now available for pre-order on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. The device will be publicly available beginning next Friday, October 14. Apple will also offer an unlocked version in November starting at $649, though it will be limited to GSM carriers only.
iPhone 4S preorders began in the middle of the night for most US users, kicking off at 12:01am PT on Friday, and both Apple and AT&T servers were quickly hammered into oblivion for a few hours. It appears that the bulk of preorders were from AT&T iPhone 3G and 3GS users, as many iPhone 4 users report not qualifying for an early upgrade. we also heard several reports that Verizon and Sprint websites had no problem handling what was apparently lighter traffic.
Another factor that seems to favor previous AT&T iPhone users is that any unlimited data plans that are still in effect can still be transferred to a new iPhone 4S. New iPhone 4S users won’t be able to get unlimited data plans from either AT&T or Verizon, although the newest US carrier, Sprint, is more than happy to oblige data-hungry users.
All iPhone 4S preorders come with a two-year contract on their respective carriers. However, as we mentioned earlier, Apple says it will offer an unsubsidized, unlocked iPhone 4S later in November. The unlocked iPhone 4S can be used internationally by getting a micro-SIM card from any GSM carrier and won’t require signing up for any contract. unfortunately, it will be limited to AT&T here in the US—it won’t be compatible with Verizon or Sprint, according to Apple. The full retail price for an unlocked iPhone 4S starts at $649 for 16GB, so you’ll pay a pretty penny for the ability to move between carriers (but only outside the US).
Image courtesy of Apple Inc.