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Walk-in availability for 4S?

N

Nothlit

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 14, 2009
242
18
Now that February is here, I'm finally eligible to upgrade from my iPhone 4 to the 4S with the full subsidy.

I was going to place a reservation to pick up the phone in-store, but all of the stores in my area say "not available to reserve" or I get a popup that says "reservations are currently unavailable." I've checked shortly after 9 PM up through midnight the past couple of nights using both the Apple web site and the Apple Store app on my iPhone, and I keep getting the same messages for every nearby store (in the Boston/NH area). This reservation system is nice in theory, but if nothing is ever available to reserve, I'm not sure I see the point...

So, for anyone who has bought a 4S in the past couple of weeks, has availability improved to the point where I probably don't need a reservation? I'd love to be able to just walk in and pick one up (16 GB black AT&T). But I don't want to waste the half-hour drive to the store.

(Yes, I could call the store and ask, but I've found that to be an exercise in frustration in the past... waiting forever on hold before anyone ever answers, and they're reluctant to offer estimates of stock availability anyway.)
 
Umm you should not have any issues with going to store and just picking one up. There's no need to setup a reservation to get one.
 
Nothlit said:
Now that February is here, I'm finally eligible to upgrade from my iPhone 4 to the 4S with the full subsidy.

I was going to place a reservation to pick up the phone in-store, but all of the stores in my area say "not available to reserve" or I get a popup that says "reservations are currently unavailable." I've checked shortly after 9 PM up through midnight the past couple of nights using both the Apple web site and the Apple Store app on my iPhone, and I keep getting the same messages for every nearby store (in the Boston/NH area). This reservation system is nice in theory, but if nothing is ever available to reserve, I'm not sure I see the point...

So, for anyone who has bought a 4S in the past couple of weeks, has availability improved to the point where I probably don't need a reservation? I'd love to be able to just walk in and pick one up (16 GB black AT&T). But I don't want to waste the half-hour drive to the store.

(Yes, I could call the store and ask, but I've found that to be an exercise in frustration in the past... waiting forever on hold before anyone ever answers, and they're reluctant to offer estimates of stock availability anyway.)
Click to expand...

you really want a 50+ dollar monthly payments?
 
I just returned from the local Apple Store. They have both colors in stock, in all capacities. I've got a good rapport with the manager after years of doing business. He was quite candid, saying they've been in stock for the last ten days now. While he did not specifically comment on future inventory, the impression I got, was availability will continue.
 
Nothlit said:
Now that February is here, I'm finally eligible to upgrade from my iPhone 4 to the 4S with the full subsidy.

I was going to place a reservation to pick up the phone in-store, but all of the stores in my area say "not available to reserve" or I get a popup that says "reservations are currently unavailable." I've checked shortly after 9 PM up through midnight the past couple of nights using both the Apple web site and the Apple Store app on my iPhone, and I keep getting the same messages for every nearby store (in the Boston/NH area). This reservation system is nice in theory, but if nothing is ever available to reserve, I'm not sure I see the point...

So, for anyone who has bought a 4S in the past couple of weeks, has availability improved to the point where I probably don't need a reservation? I'd love to be able to just walk in and pick one up (16 GB black AT&T). But I don't want to waste the half-hour drive to the store.

(Yes, I could call the store and ask, but I've found that to be an exercise in frustration in the past... waiting forever on hold before anyone ever answers, and they're reluctant to offer estimates of stock availability anyway.)
Click to expand...

Unless you will be able to use another line's upgrade later this year, I'd recommend waiting until the next iPhone. 4 > 4S isn't that big of a jump in my opinion... So it really comes down to whether you want to wait for the next phone, which will mean keeping your 4 for 7~9 months, or upgrading now and having to keep the 4S for the next two years.
 
I have to say, I agree with others re the waiting for the 5.

I went from an old flip-phone/ipod touch to a 4S, so it was a huge move.

You going from a 4 to a 4S, not so huge.

Won't you be disappointed if you get the 4S, then they come out with the 5 in June?
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

I'm always able to upgrade every year?!? Never been denied a brand new fully subsidized iPhone. I had 3g, 3gs, 4 and 4s.
 
If you have an upgrade available go for it! I have a 4S (upgraded from a 4) and I'm very happy! With regards to saying wait for the 5, when the 5 does come out the speculations for the 5S/6 will be about and i have no doubt people will tell you to wait for that, at that rate you'd be waiting forever! Your looking for a phone now, get one now :)
 
kendall69 said:
The Iphone 5 is out in a few months so you should wait
Click to expand...

There will always be another phone just a few months away. If you always wait, you will never buy anything.

likethesoup2 said:
I have to say, I agree with others re the waiting for the 5.

I went from an old flip-phone/ipod touch to a 4S, so it was a huge move.

You going from a 4 to a 4S, not so huge.

Won't you be disappointed if you get the 4S, then they come out with the 5 in June?
Click to expand...

No, I won't be disappointed.

Rufuss Sewell said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

I'm always able to upgrade every year?!? Never been denied a brand new fully subsidized iPhone. I had 3g, 3gs, 4 and 4s.
Click to expand...

Upgrade eligibility depends heavily on how much you pay AT&T every month. The more you pay, the sooner you are eligible for the full subsidy again. I pay very little (no texting plan, and I have a discount through my employer) so they stretch out my eligibility dates.

SpaceKitty said:
You can use the Apple store app and even reserve an iPhone. In my area, stores are still sold out every night of every model according to the app.
Click to expand...

You must not have read my post.

ixodes said:
I just returned from the local Apple Store. They have both colors in stock, in all capacities. I've got a good rapport with the manager after years of doing business. He was quite candid, saying they've been in stock for the last ten days now. While he did not specifically comment on future inventory, the impression I got, was availability will continue.
Click to expand...

Thank you for providing a relevant reply with useful information! :)
 
I just got an unlocked 4s yesterday by walking in to the Durham apple store.

I am assuming they've caught up with the demand.Only way to know for sure is to call them and find out before you go. My experience is a wait time <5 minutes and they usually tell you if what you are looking for is in stock.

Good luck!
 
I'd say you're crazy to jump to the 4S and lock into 2 years when you already have the 4.. The only upgrade I use on a regular basis is the camera. Siri...Cool for about 3 days (although I do use her for reminders). Other then that, I don't notice any real difference. And with the good possibility of fully redesigned blockbuster device looming in the wings, I would without doubt suck it up for a couple more months. I love my 4S, but if you're running iOS5, you alread have all the major upgrades. My daughter has the 4 and I have done side by side speed tests. And while the 4S is faster, it's really not that noticible at all.

So other then that great feeling of unboxing a new Apple product, your not gaining all that much considering what might be there in 4 months. If I was in the same situation as you, I would definitely wait until at least the rumor mill starts heating up a bit more before I signed any 2 year deals.
 
sulpfiction said:
I'd say you're crazy to jump to the 4S and lock into 2 years when you already have the 4..
Click to expand...
Here's a counterpoint.

I'd say it's a very smart move to upgrade to a 4S. Why?

It's simple really. We all have our own preferences. Here's the differences between the 4 and 4S that aren't talked about much.

1) The 4 has a poor antenna that many love to deny. Yet if it didn't, Apple would not have made a big deal about the redesigned antenna in the 4S.

2) Along those lines, the corresponding & very significant improvement was the inclusion of a very specific, high quality, finely tuned baseband chip. One that produces the best phone calls & exemplary connectivity that trumps any other smartphone on the market. I'm speaking from first hand experience, after buying every AT&T iPhone since day one.

The improvement in call quality and complete lack of dropped calls is truly exciting. Traveling internationally mines unlocked (free thanks to AT&T) and works very well no matter the country I'm in.

3) If one likes the current style there's no reason to wait.

Newer is not always better, therefore until the next model is released and tested by the public, one never knows what we will get. My 3GS performed quite good as a phone. My 4 was dreadful. Never did I ever expect Apple to fail as bad as they did choosing an external antenna that when warned of known problems ( months before release ) Steve Jobs failed to act. Instead he just shipped it.

At the end of the day, I find the 4S a great model.

My only complaint which is purely personal, is Apples obsession with a tiny screen. 3.5" is an old tired size. At least if it's used for web work. If rumors ring true & the next one comes with a larger display, I will buy it. If not I'll stick with my proven 4S.

I'm not one that has to have "the latest" to fulfill my self image. Confidence is not something I lack.
 
Nothlit said:
There will always be another phone just a few months away. If you always wait, you will never buy anything.



No, I won't be disappointed.



Upgrade eligibility depends heavily on how much you pay AT&T every month. The more you pay, the sooner you are eligible for the full subsidy again. I pay very little (no texting plan, and I have a discount through my employer) so they stretch out my eligibility dates.



You must not have read my post.



Thank you for providing a relevant reply with useful information! :)
Click to expand...

Upgrade elgibility is now the same for all phones. AT&T has done away with what we use to know as yearly upgrades.
 
Walked in to my local Apple store yesterday and walked out with my 4S. They told me demand has been shrinking and that they had plenty in stock.
 
djransom said:
Upgrade elgibility is now the same for all phones. AT&T has done away with what we use to know as yearly upgrades.
Click to expand...

Yep, I can confirm this (at least for me). I usually get a 1 year upgrade as my line (the main line) is over $100/month. However, after my 4S upgrade, my line shows the usual 22-month (or whatever it is) upgrade cycle. When it's close to the 5's release, I'll call AT&T and see if they can do anything for me, hopefully they can - I wouldn't have bought the 4S had I known this in advance.

Has anyone had an experience otherwise?
 
I don't know about anywhere else but demand was never high enough for it to be hard to get hold of an iPhone 4S in the UK.
 
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