Skip to main content

Reminder: iPhone 4S preorders begin 3:01 AM EDT

iPhone4s_3up_Photo_Siri_Sprgbd_PRINT
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We know you’re just getting over the excitement (or disappointment) about the iPhone 4S announcement, and likely still reeling from the sad news about Apple founder Steve Jobs’ death, but if you plan to get your hands on the new iPhone as soon as possible you’ll want to ready your clicking finger for the preorders early tomorrow morning (or midnight for us West Coasters). You can always wait until October 14 if you want the most involved and time-consuming iPhone-buying process, but unless you want to call in sick and then actually and ironically catch cold waiting in line, we’d recommend preordering instead. 

The demand for new Apple products is always incredibly high, so chances are that the preorders will sell out by later tomorrow morning, if not almost immediately. The good news is that this time, the demand will be spread out over three different carriers, which should mean higher chances for those of you dying to get the iPhone 4S first. The last time a new iPhone was released, the Apple Store and AT&T were the only ones sharing the load, but for the iPhone 4S preorder, hopefuls will be able to place their preorders through the Apple Store, AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint.

Recommended Videos

Luckily for our readers, it seems that the preorders will go live at the same time on each Website. The magic time will be 12:01 AM PST for the West Coast and 3:01 AM EDT. Sorry East Coasters, you’ll have to either stay up late or wake up early! The preorders from Apple generally come in batches; if you manage to snag one from the first batch it should arrive on your doorstep or in-store on October 14. If not, you should be able to still preorder a phone, though it may be backordered for a week or two; however, that is probably still better than standing in line on launch day. 

Good luck to everyone and let us know if you managed to snag one of the first iPhone 4S’s. 

Kelly Montgomery
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kelly Montgomery is a magazine journalism graduate from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications…
A new render teases the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s big redesign, and I’m torn
Leaked render of iPhone 17 Pro Max front glass and rear camera bar module.

With the iPhone 16 line, Apple made some big changes with the base models, while the iPhone 16 Pro versions looked identical to those from the past several years. But Apple appears to be making some very significant changes to the design of the iPhone 17 Pro Max — especially if these mock-up renders from a Russian YouTube channel, Wylsacom, are accurate.

The YouTube video shows that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will look nothing like its predecessors, according to the rumors that this mock-up is based on.

Read more
The most common iPhone 16 problems (and how to fix them)
i created the perfect ios 18 control center iphone 16 2

Apple's latest iPhone 16 lineup packs in some exciting new features. The latest and greatest A18 chip brings the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus duo closer to their iPhone 16 Pro counterparts than they've been in years, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max gets bigger than ever with a 6.9-inch display and the thinnest bezels of any smartphone yet.

The entire iPhone 16 family is more in harmony than ever this year, as Apple seems to have abandoned the trend of artificially limiting features like the Dynamic Island and Action Button to its Pro models, only to bring them to the standard ones a year later. Instead, this year's marquee new feature, the Camera Control, can be found on all four models. Sure, there are plenty of things that are still exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, like the 120Hz ProMotion Display and 5x telephoto camera, but those at least feel like valid differentiators for a "Pro" model.

Read more
Apple hopes foldable and thinner iPhones will boost sales
A render of the iPhone Air.

Apple's iPhone sales have declined in recent years, primarily because the company has focused more on software updates than hardware improvements. However, Apple hopes this trend will change next year, as it plans to introduce new handsets with significant design upgrades.

There has been considerable discussion recently about the upcoming "iPhone 17 Air," which is anticipated to be the thinnest iPhone ever made. It is expected to be released in September alongside the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup.

Read more