It’s only been three days since Apple announced the new iPhone 4S, but true to its word, the company has switched live preorders for the new device and has enabled Sprint customers in the U.S to order the the iPhone 4 for the first time.
Verizon has gone live on its website, offering the 16GB iPhone 4S for $199.99 on a two-year contract, reduction from $649.99. The 32GB costs $299.99 and 64GB $399.99, with a delivery date of October 14. The company also has month-to-month no contract phones starting at $649, $749 and $849.
Sprint has enabled preorders, but the website seems to have gone down under the traffic. AT&T is yet to switch its site live but is allowing upgrades for existing customers, you will be able to order your new iPhone 4S via this link when it does go live for all.
In the UK, T-Mobile is live, as is Vodafone. The big red operator also sayd you can “get £59 back when you pre-order iPhone 4S today”. Both operators have a number of different plans for customers, with the cheapest plans requiring a two year commitment. Orange has a portal here and O2’s is here – but both are yet to go live.
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All deliveries will be made in time for the October 14 launch.
Apple’s latest addition to the iPhone product cycle comes with the company’s new A5 processor, 1GB RAM, 8-megapixel camera capable of shooting 1080p HD video and a raft of software improvements. With Apple’s new iOS 5, launching on October 12, users will can take advantage of Apple’s new iCloud service, which wirelessly stores all of your important data and media in the cloud, boasts improved notifications, iMessage and over 200 new features.
It will also include Siri, Apple’s powerful new voice-activated virtual assistant, that can schedule appointments, update you on your stocks or the weather, even mapping out directions for your journey, all by speaking into your new iPhone handset.
Apple’s new device launches as a World Phone, shipping with dual-mode antennae to enable owners to theoretically choose the network of their choice on their travels. However, Apple states quite clearly in its terms that owners will not be able to hot-swap their SIM cards to switch between networks — instead they will have to choose their carrier (and therefore carrier frequency) when they first register their phone:
If you choose AT&T as your wireless carrier, your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S will use only GSM cellular technology for voice and data services, and it can roam internationally on 200 GSM carriers around the world.
If you choose Sprint or Verizon Wireless as your wireless carrier, your iPhone 4 will use only CDMA cellular technology for voice and data services. An iPhone 4S activated on Sprint or Verizon Wireless will use CDMA technology too, but it also has the ability to roam internationally on GSM networks using the provided GSM micro-SIM.
This might not be a problem for iPhone 4S owners in countries that adhere to one dedicated mobile frequency, but it will impact customers in the U.S, who had previously dreamed of buying up a number of SIM cards for their travels and swapping them accordingly. That isn’t to say there isn’t a workaround, but with the device not available until October 14, we will have to wait for such a thing to materialise.
The iPhone 4S will be available in a number of countries worldwide, with contract and handset pricing specific to each of the mobile operators in your area. Visit your preferred operator or choose your carrier on the online Apple Store to view the pricing for your network.
Will you be ordering the the iPhone 4S this morning? Drop us a line in the comments and let us know why you are (or not in some cases).
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