UPDATE: iPhone 4S now available on Apple Store.
Looks like Apple just blew the lid right off this popsicle stand. If the notice on Apple Store Malaysia is anything to go by, Celcom, Maxis and DiGi won’t be the only ones selling the iPhone 4S come launch day.
Yeap, that’s right. It looks like you will be able to purchase the iPhone 4S sans contract from December 16 onwards directly from Apple. This means you can avoid the long lines and waiting overnight and order the device online right from home through the Apple Store. You can forget about lengthy contracts as well and just stick with whatever operator plan you’re subscribed too right now. If you’re using a standard-sized SIM don’t worry, you can just go to any phone repair shop and get that card cut to micro SIM size and you’re good to go.
But by ordering online you probably won’t be amongst the first batch of Malaysians getting the officially released iPhone 4S here. Just like the iPad 2 when it was launched in Malaysia, expect to wait time to be at least a week for the iPhone 4S, though with the iPad 2, we have heard of people receiving their order within four days of ordering online. Also, consider that Apple’s iPhone 4S stock is separate from the ones that the telcos get, so if you’re quick to order online on launch day, you’d probably be able to get the device earlier – but still not on launch day itself la.
What remains to be seen is if authorised Apple resellers will also sell the device on launch day. Machines – one of the most active Apple resellers on social media – has not revealed anything at the moment, so we can’t say with any certainty that local resellers will have iPhone 4S in stores this coming December 16 but we will probably find out next week before the launch.
To see it for yourself, head over to the Apple Store. Just recently the Apple Store has started selling the iPhone 3GS 8GB and iPhone 4 8GB outright without contract.
Alright, that’s pretty much it. Will you get the iPhone 4S via Apple store sans contract or will you brave the long lines to get one with an operator? Let us know.
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