iPhone 4S pre-orders sell out

ByABC News
October 9, 2011, 12:54 AM

— -- Pre-orders for the iPhone 4S sold out in the first day of availability, according to shipping estimates on Apple's Web site.

The iPhone 4S went on pre-order in the predawn hours on Friday. Carrier AT&T called it its most successful iPhone launch ever, with more than 200,000 orders in the first 12 hours.

Users looking to pre-order the iPhone 4S now are seeing shipping estimates of one to two weeks.

Customers can still get an iPhone 4S this coming Friday, though, if they wait in line at an Apple Store or at other retail partners.

Those who were able to pre-order the phone Friday will get it delivered to them this coming Friday.

The ordering process was marred with some of the hiccups that have become typical for an iPhone launch. Customers struggled to connect to Apple.com, especially when the site tried to connect to the carriers' servers to access the buyer's account.

Apple used a new triage system that offered a confirmation to customers that an iPhone had been reserved for them but said that they'd have to come back to finish their order when the account could be accessed.

Verizon customers reported an easier time ordering through the carrier's Web site on Friday morning.

The iPhone 4S features a better camera, faster processor and Siri, a new digital personal assistant. It is available to customers on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.

Apple's next mobile operating system, iOS 5, will be released Wednesday as a free download.