U.S. Apple Stores are pulling overnight shifts to put up new displays and promo materials for the iPhone 4S launch. @ifostore is standing in line and shot the above photo where the staff is exchanging old iPhone 4 models with the new iPhone 4S.
Meanwhile, other parts of the world have already seen the iPhone 4S launch, and to massive crowds. Smh.com.au has a running update of the launch in Australia. Even 4 hours after the launch, the line to the Sydney store was described as "appalling" going half way down King Street.
The Japanese launch was hampered by registration slowdowns from Softbank, according to the Wall Street Journal:
The launch of the iPhone 4S in Japan was interrupted when Softbank – the main service provider for Apple products in the country—suffered a server glitch that temporarily suspended sales nationwide. A company spokesman said the servers were unable to process registration information.
Analysts are predicting weekend sales to top that of the iPhone 4 which sold 1.7 million units its opening weekend. Estimates range from 2 million to as high as 4 million.
In the U.S., Apple Stores will be opening at 8 a.m. local time to launch the iPhone 4S. Additionally, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint stores will also be stocking the new device, but those retailers tend to get fewer units per store than Apple's stores. Gizmodo also notes that Radio Shack, Best Buy, Target and Sam's Club may have units, but your mileage may vary.
MacRumors forum members have been organizing meetups for the iPhone 4S launch in our dedicated forum.
Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by Juli Clover
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week.
Past Launch Dates
Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC.
Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple.
Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.
Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by Tim Hardwick
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 3:30 pm PST by Juli Clover
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic.
Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...
All those people who don't own credit cards or have access to the internet!? What sad times we live in. ;)
No, some of us are just young and like the experience. We don't all have to put on a tie and be at work at 9am. You only live once, so why no just live it up?
I'd love to go and be first in line one day for a launch, not to be the first to buy the new device, but just to go in and look around the store. Confuse everyone!
I'd love to go and be first in line one day for a launch, not to be the first to buy the new device, but just to go in and look around the store. Confuse everyone!
"What a lovely day to window shop at The Apple Store. Geez, it's crowded. I wonder why..."
I'm waiting in line at the Irvine Spectrum in California. I have about 8 people in front of me and I got here at 7pm. It is now 12:15am and there are many many people waiting behind me with tents, tv's and xBox 360's, yes I said an xBox!
I am having a great time doing Philosophy homework and talking to fellow Apple fans!
