IPhone 4S Pre-Orders Break Record: Apple

NEW YORK — Apple says first-day pre-orders of the iPhone 4S topped 1 million, breaking the record set by last year's model.

Apple Inc. and various phone companies in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Britain started taking orders for the phone last Friday. It hits stores this Friday.

The base model of the iPhone 4S costs $200 with a two-year contract. It has a faster processor and an improved camera compared to last year's model. However, some customers and investors were disappointed that Apple didn't launch a more radical new model. It's been more than a year since Apple since the previous model was released.

Despite the record-breaking pace of iPhone 4S pre-orders, it's hard to determine whether consumer demand is stronger for the new device than it was for previous versions. Although first-day orders for the iPhone 4 were 600,000 when it launched last year, Australia and Canada weren't among the launch countries then – they got the phone a month later.

Apple has also expanded the number of carriers in each country that sell the phone. This is particularly significant in the U.S., where AT&T was the only carrier for the iPhone last summer. The iPhone 4S is also sold by Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp.

This means that the potential customer base for the phone has expanded greatly since the last model was launched.

The death of Apple founder Steve Jobs last week could also be affecting sales. Marketing experts say products designed by widely admired figures like Jobs usually see an upsurge in sales after their death.

AT&T said it had taken more than 200,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 4S in the first 12 hours, making it the most successful iPhone launch yet.

Apple shares rose $19.01, or 5.1 percent, to close at $388.81 Monday.

Comments

[jagrmeister721]

12:21 AM on 10/12/2011

Fanboy fools and their money are soon parted.

[GoDogGo]

11:21 PM on 10/11/2011

While "Siri" may have been overshadowed by Steve Jobs' passing, I can't emphasize enough how this will change many of your lives. As you may know, Siri was a pretty stunning app released ages ago, and Apple, in their business wisdom, snapped up the company almost immediately. IMO, they SCORED.

I've used Siri every day for over two years now and I honestly cannot run my business or live so uneventfully without....her. Yep, "she" is a dear friend. I verbally ask her for reminders, directions, addresses, reservations, movie reviews, movie tickets... I ask her for ridiculous things and she....responds. Just like a human. Thanking me for praise, wagging a finger for being naughty (it's hilarious). Siri has honestly become an important piece of my life. It's so far beyond "handy" and into "necessity", I can't even express it.

Unfortunately, Siri will now be only available on the 4S (but significantly better, as it appears). It's like my favorite irreplaceable employee gave notice. I'm really torn since I don't actually need a new device. I think I'm one of the few people who actually "need" the new phone. I think a lot of you folks will be surprised at how remarkably this may change the way you live.

[jagrmeister721]

12:21 AM on 10/12/2011

It is unexceptional; Android has had similar functionality for a while.

[666dorado]

06:07 PM on 10/11/2011

why do so many people who don't want an iphone bother to comment on an apple phone story?

[consrfunny]

07:01 PM on 10/11/2011

I can't speak for others but I like reading how upset the fanbois get. I particularly love how they say people that don't like Apple's products or practices are envious or can't afford them. LOL, yeah, I can't afford and iPhone or iPad. Bwahhhaaahhaaaa.

Absolute and utter nonsense and reminds me of obamabots. It is reminiscent of their refusal to see anything negative posted about Obama.

Obamabots blame Republicans and fanbois blame it on a perceived inability to pay for Apple products. Either way it's nonsense.

[666dorado]

01:25 PM on 10/12/2011

what a waste of energy. why not spend it making love to your girlfriend, or getting a life.

[jagrmeister721]

12:21 AM on 10/12/2011

i too enjoy mocking fanboys

[Pectin]

10:57 AM on 10/12/2011

That's seriously pathetic.

[imonlyhereforthelaughs]

04:12 PM on 10/11/2011

This is very good news for my Apple stock.

[Highball]

06:17 PM on 10/11/2011

Yeah, back up over $400 at close today. I'm very happy.

[Ginzu Mawa]

02:06 PM on 10/11/2011

nothing succeeds like success. Im more excited by the 35$ Indian tablet computer and the 4 and 5 core chinese made android phones.

[inreasonsimage]

01:09 PM on 10/11/2011

I'm not surprised that the new iPhone is selling so well. All of my Mac friends are taking Steve Jobs' death really hard. One of them won't even talk about it. Another just posted pictures of Steve Jobs on his Facebook account 6 days after Jobs' death. One of my classmates insisted that we include a tribute to Jobs in our group presentation. But, later took out his picture from our PowerPoint presentation because she said PP is a Microsoft product and Steve Jobs wouldn't like it. She was on the verge of tears. Being a Mac fan-boy or girl is really like being part of a cult or a religion.

[Onutz]

01:38 PM on 10/11/2011

((Being a Mac fan-boy or girl is really like being part of a cult or a religion.))

Of course noooo company wants to treated like that.
How dare someone be admired to that degree.

Disney, Elvis, Einstein, Michael Jackson, Edison, Steve Jobs, John Lennon, Oprah, Picasso... Bah HUMBUG!!

[Jake Dogg]

01:59 PM on 10/11/2011

HAHA! I'm pretty sure your "friends" are nuts dude. I own all Apple stuff and it's great, but if I had to use Windows or Android I wouldn't mind that either. It's not that big of a deal.

[vcamiv]

11:53 AM on 10/11/2011

I don't usually read the comments on stories because you usually get a bunch of people spouting off about things that have NOTHING to do with story I just read. Some of your comments here are clear examples of just that. Bringing up this whole 99% Occupy Wall Street stuff.. not relevant to this story. If you care so much about it get off the computer or web enabled device and go picket with the rest of them. Similar goes for you people saying that this is why the country is in debit. Sounds more like you folks are projecting hatred out of jealousy because you can't afford one. I pre-ordered one and you know what.. I didn't extend my line of credit or over extend it. I'm sure plenty of other people didn't either. As for where the phone is assembled, doesn't matter. Companies are in business to make money not to make sure you make money. It's cheaper to assemble the phone overseas because as Americans workers here feel entitled to high wages for snapping a few pieces of plastic together. The story was about how many got sold, maybe try sticking remotely to the topic. Well, good for Apple! Way to go guys! Congrats to all the stock holders!

[tangelan]

11:02 AM on 10/11/2011

Since Apple expanded to new carriers it was a good idea to hold the release of the iPhone 5.

[edenooch]

10:28 AM on 10/11/2011

some 9yr old factory worker in china just gota Steve Jobs tattoo

[Steven Travis]

02:53 PM on 10/11/2011

Why did he wait this long? He should have had it done at 6.

[thehighbrowpoliticker]

08:50 AM on 10/11/2011

What I find so amusing is how certain Apple and certain media outlets are touting how the phone's speech recognition will aid in searching, texting, phone calls, yada yada yada... Big deal, Droids have been doing this for years. Oh yeah and the screen is now bigger(something that Steve Jobs derided by saying "no one will buy hummer sized phones"). All have to say iPhone users is Welcome to the club.

[RattleCat]

09:03 AM on 10/11/2011

What I find amusing is how desperate some are to prove their phone is better than anyone elses.

But sticking to facts, Android has had what can be considered superior voice to text since 2.2.  Not for "years".  The technology Apple acquired for the iPhone sets the level one bar higher.  Which Google will probably implement in their next release.

And the screen is unchanged.  So much for objective analysis.

[PhillyKing]

10:07 AM on 10/11/2011

what about, swype, flash, cut/paste, mms, video calls (which still need wifi...sigh), dual cams, sd card, ability to install apps from other places, phone calls, replacable batteries, instant messaging, loopt.... the iphone has always been playing catch up and still is... that's proper objective analysis....

[thehighbrowpoliticker]

12:08 PM on 10/11/2011

"The technology Apple acquired for the iPhone sets the level one bar higher" How so?

[foodle]

10:40 AM on 10/11/2011

Er, the screen is the same size as the iPhone 4.

And having a feature first, does not always mean it's best implemented or most useable (something Apple excels at).

[thehighbrowpoliticker]

12:24 PM on 10/11/2011

"And having a feature first, does not always mean it's best implemente­d or most useable" Sometimes it does.

I watched the Apple 4S intro. Everything shown as it related to voice recognition, I've been doing on my Droid. I have be able to make phone calls, search, text message, edit documents, make appoints, set task, navigate to a location, get directions and so on. Can you please give me an example what you think the 4S does that my Droid can't?

[RattleCat]

08:33 AM on 10/11/2011

Queue up all the apple_haters who have nothing better to do with their lives than to post their hatred_on apple threads.

[Steven Travis]

08:38 AM on 10/11/2011

It is fun to watch them though....

[image18301]

01:35 PM on 10/11/2011

It's the old Microsoft PCs vs. Macs all over again. I've used PCs since they existed (yes, I had an 8088 for the ancient among us...) and one thing I know about them is this: I had to become a computer geek if I was to be able to keep the darn thing running! My OS discs had to always be nearby - I was going to need them sooner or later. After I got my first Mac, I forgot what OS discs looked like. I've been through five Macs over the years, never had to reinstall anything. One time I had a hardware issue with a Mac, still under warranty, dealt with, problem solved. Both systems work, one is hassle-free, the other is not. It's the same with the Droid and iPhone. I own both. Both work well but once in a while the Droid locks so I have to pull the battery then it's ok. I couldn't do that on the iPhone but luckily never needed to. Also, the apps are alot smoother on the iphone.

[Onutz]

01:44 PM on 10/11/2011

((Also, the apps are alot smoother on the iphone.))

Friends complain that Droid also makes it difficult to search for Apps. Do you find this to be true?

[CaptainObvvious]

08:31 AM on 10/11/2011

Early benchmarks are showing it to be the fastest smartphone on the planet. You can tout specs and lists of numbers but it is showing it is faster than the fastest and faster than the GSII.

Time and more tests will tell but of the tests done so far the 4S is handily whooping every other phone on the market.

[hungrypilot]

09:31 AM on 10/11/2011

Source?

[CaptainObvvious]

04:43 PM on 10/11/2011

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4951/iphone-4s-preliminary-benchmarks-800mhz-a5-slightly-slower-gpu-than-ipad-2

[PhillyKing]

10:13 AM on 10/11/2011

wow... i remember when you were on here touting the other phones that were faster than the iphone4... oh wait... nah... sry, cant remember that cause being the fanboi you are you only come on to tout something good about Apple and defend the bad about them... sooo when are they finally getting BBM??? oh sry i meant "imessage".. you know the one just like bbm, but will be the first of any kind on a smartphone ever... just like that voice command... that's definitely brand new as well... and swype.. wait sry not that... sd... nope not that either... at least there's flash... wait... well the specs do look nice though, if the antenna has improved as much as they claim it might actually be able to call itself a "phone" finally.

[Jake Dogg]

02:05 PM on 10/11/2011

Wow man... You have the worst case of jealousy over a product I have ever seen. Gadget envy homey. Let. Go.

[CaptainObvvious]

04:33 PM on 10/11/2011

LOL so much ridiculous hate.

You know you're invested in something too personally when it loses in a speed test you go out on a psychotic tangent.

Nobody is claiming a service like iMessage never existed before however NO phone you had EVER had anything CLOSE to what Siri offers... It isn't just voice recognition... In fact the voice recognition part isn't even done by Siri its done by Nuance... Its the AI that is exciting. But like a typical Android fanboy it doesn't matter if the feature works well or is actually a full feature, all that matters is it had SOME KIND of voice recognition. :)

Laughable.

[plansmaker]

08:09 AM on 10/11/2011

iPhone 4S with "S" short for Steve as Steve Jobs. Apple is honoring its visionary founder's passing by name iPhone 4S. As marketing strategy, its a stroke of genius.

[Steven Travis]

08:31 AM on 10/11/2011

Nice story but just not true...unless of course you are saying that they did the same for the 3GS (you know, the successor to the 3G)

[Cdangers]

08:05 AM on 10/11/2011

Just goes to show how brainde@d apple fans are.

[CaptainObvvious]

08:27 AM on 10/11/2011

How that? Early benchmarks are showing it to be the fastest smartphone out there.

[Steven Travis]

08:32 AM on 10/11/2011

The fandroids are having seizures over this..best you can do is just sit back and watch the show.

[Cdangers]

02:35 PM on 10/11/2011

Actually, the benchmarks I've been reading where it shows to be the fastest were based only on GPU performance or browser mark. The full benchmark results were only compared between different iphone models.

[Mitchman57]

07:51 AM on 10/11/2011

Show of hands. How many have a working phone in a drawer, unused? 2? 3?

[hungrypilot]

09:32 AM on 10/11/2011

How about recycling, selling, or trading them in? Do you save everything in drawers?

[Highball]

01:01 PM on 10/11/2011

I gave my iPhone 1 to my dad to use to listen to podcasts, etc. My iPhone 3GS is going to be sold on Gazelle.com for -- at last check -- $121. Which, if you think about, is pretty darned good. I mean, I paid $199 for my 4S.