iPhone 4S FAQs and Things You Should Know

Although the iPhone 4S doesn’t seem as much like a “new phone,” because the design hasn’t changed, there are still several things that you may want to take into consideration if you are planning on purchasing the 4S. In today’s post, we will cover some frequently asked questions regarding the 4S, and also list some things you should know, prior to purchasing the device.

Let’s start with some frequently asked questions regarding the Apple iPhone 4S.

FAQs

When will the iPhone 4S be available in stores?

The iPhone 4S will be available for sale on October 14, 2011 in Apple Retail Stores, Apple Online Store, and Cellular stores. Currently, the 4S is available for preorder on Apple.com.

What countries is the iPhone 4S available in?

The 4S will be available on the above date in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, and Japan. If you live in another country that is not listed, the iPhone still may be available in your area soon. Apple is expected to make the iPhone 4S available in over 70 countries by the end of 2011.

What is the iPhone 4S price and how many models are available.

The iPhone 4S will be available in either a black color or a white color. From there, there are three capacities to choose from, each priced accordingly.

There will also be an unlocked version of the iPhone 4S, that will retail for:

16GB – $649.00
32GB – $749.00
64GB – $849.00

The unlocked version of the 4S will be sold on Apple.com.

Do I have to start a new, or add on to an existing, 2-year contract with the iPhone 4S?

More than likely, yes. However, you can purchase a unlocked iPhone 4S (mentioned above). That would keep you out of a contract, because you would be paying full retail price. There is though, something that you should know about the unlocked iPhone 4S.

An unlocked version of the 4S will not be compatible with Verizon and Sprint in the United States, so to many people in the U.S., the unlocked version won’t even be an option. It will, though, work on T-Mobile, without the need to jailbreak.

The unlocked 4S is mainly intended for use in other countries, where you can simply use a foreign carrier SIM card with the iPhone.

If you don’t want to enter a contract, you can probably purchase the iPhone 4S at full retail price from your wireless provider, or try and find a new or used 4S online from a retailer.

How do I check to see if I am eligible for an upgrade so that I can get that iPhone 4S at upgrade price?

Each carrier is a bit different, so you can always contact your wireless carrier and ask them. If you want to check online, however, you can go this page at Apple and it should inform you to whether or not you can purchase the iPhone for the upgrade price.

If I travel abroad, will the iPhone 4S work in other countries.

Yes, the iPhone 4S is a world phone that supports both major cell phone technologies: CDMA and GSM. Thus, the 4S will work in most countries.

Are there any changes to the exterior of the 4S, from the regular iPhone 4?

Yes there are, but they are very minimal. The buttons on the side are very, very slightly redesigned. Also, the case markings on the back of the iPhone may be slightly different. The most drastic change to the exterior is that the new 4S has a SIM card slot on the right side of the phone, which is needed to make it a world phone.

What specific U.S. carriers will get the iPhone 4S?

Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon are all getting the iPhone 4S.

Since the iPhone 4 is CDMA and GSM, and also available from more carriers, can I transfer to another carrier with the iPhone 4S?

Possibly not, as many wireless providers will likely have a license agreement in place, which will prevent you from transferring the 4S to other carriers. The specific iPhone that you purchase from a carrier will also likely be locked, even though it is both CDMA and GSM compatible.

However, there will likely be an unlock available on the internet soon after the iPhone 4S’s release, which would allow you to unlock the phone. From there, you should be able to do with it what you want, it’s your phone.

Will iPhone 4 accessories work with the 4S?

The high majority of iPhone 4 accessories will work with the iPhone 4S, so don’t sell or disregard any existing iPhone 4 accessories that you own, yet. The exception to this rule is that some standard iPhone 4 cases that were manufactured for early versions of the original iPhone 4 (AT&T), may not be compatible with the new 4S.

The answers provided in this article are intended to add clarity to many frequently asked questions regarding the iPhone 4S. It is also recommended that you check out our post about choosing an iPhone, as the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3G will still be supported. Over at Switching To Mac, they posted an upgrade guide that can help existing iPhone owners decide whether to upgrade to the 4S.

If you have any additional questions about the iPhone 4S, leave a comment below and I will try and help. Thank you for stopping by the site for today’s posts!