Mobile Phones & Broadband

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This FAQ is dynamic and will be updated frequently as information becomes available.

Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile have seen a tremendous amount of customer interest in the iPhone 4S, and are working diligently to fulfill pre-orders as quickly as possible.

Customers who have not received their pre-ordered phones will be notified by their local store via phone and/or email on timing for pick up as soon as inventory becomes available. All pre-orders are being fulfilled with first available inventory, in the order in which they were received.  We apologize to those who have experienced any inconvenience and look forward to fulfilling your iPhone 4S pre-order as soon as we can. 

We are currently out of stock, but are able to reserve one for you today. The reservation will put you in a line in the order in which your reservation is processed. Due to inventory constraints, we are unable to promise a delivery date of available phones at this time; however, we will contact you via e-mail when inventory becomes available. Once notified, you will have 72 hours to pick up your device before your reservation is cancelled. You can cancel your reservation at any time. We appreciate your patience and would like to extend you an additional offer of a free set of iFrogz earbuds at the time of phone pickup

Please note: Pre-orders will be fulfilled with first available inventory. This means that if you hold the fifth reservation, for example, you'll receive the fifth device that the store receives of your model. Again, to eliminate all confusion, all available inventory will be used to fulfill pre-orders first. Only after all pre-orders have been fulfilled will we sell to customers without a pre-order. We apologize if this was not what was communicated to you at the time of your pre-order.

On what carriers will the iPhone 4S be available?
AT&T, Verizon and Sprint are the confirmed carriers for the iPhone 4S.

When will I be able to purchase the iPhone 4S?
The phone will be launched on Friday, October 14th. All inventory at Best Buy will be used to fulfill pre-orders first. Only after all pre-orders at the store have been filled will they be available to customers without a pre-order.

How will I know when my pre-order is ready?

An automated e-mail will be sent when an iPhone 4S arrives in store for you.  

What is the pricing for the iPhone 4S with a two year activation?

Starting at $199 for the 16GB version, $299 for the 32GB version and $399 for the 64GB version.

How do I find out if I am eligible for an upgrade?
Visit our Upgrade Checker to find out if and when you are eligible for an upgrade.

Where can I purchase the iPhone 4S?
The iPhone 4S will be available for purchase in Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores.

Where can I pre-order the new iPhone 4S?
Pre-orders are in store only at Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores.

What versions of the iPhone 4S can I pre-order in store?

All versions. 16GB, 32GB or 64GB. In colors black or white. On AT&T, Sprint or Verizon.

Is there a charge to pre-order the iPhone 4S at Best Buy?
There is no fee for the pre-order itself. A $50 deposit will be applied toward a $50 Best Buy Gift Card. 

Is there a quantity limit for the number of handsets I can pre-order?
Yes, the limit is two per customer.

Does Best Buy require me to use the Best Buy Gift Card, purchased at the time of pre-order, towards the actual iPhone 4S purchase?
No, the Gift Card sold to pre-order your iPhone 4S may be used towards any purchase at a US Best Buy store or on BestBuy.com and does not need to be used at the time the iPhone 4S is purchased. You do not need to present the $50 Gift Card at point of sale to purchase the iPhone 4S.

If I recently purchased a mobile phone at Best Buy and want to exchange it for the iPhone 4S, can I?
Yes, but only within the return and exchange period, which is 30 days. Please reference our Return & Exchange policy for more information.

If I have canceled my pre-order and want Best Buy to refund the Best Buy Gift Card associated with it, can I?

Yes, if the Best Buy Gift Card has not been used and you are in possession of the original receipt. The purchase of a pre-sale Best Buy Gift Card falls under our standard Return & Exchange policy.

How do I find the trade-in value of my current handset?
Visit BestBuy.com to find out the trade-in value or enter your state in the dropdown to find a participating Best Buy store near you.

If I purchased Buy Back on my current phone, can I redeem it for the iPhone 4S?
Yes, if you exceeded the 30 day Return and Exchange period. For more information, including the Buy Back price, visit BestBuy.com/BuyBack.

Can I redeem my Buy Back on BestBuy.com or via 888-BEST-BUY?
No, you must visit a store to redeem your Buy Back. Bring the product back in good, working condition with all originally included accessories when you're ready for something new.


What is the pricing for the iPhone 4S?

Starting at $199 for the 16GB version, with two year activation.

If a customer pre-ordered, why do they have to wait?

Pre-orders ensure a virtual spot in line, in the order received, based on the inventory a particular store receives. Inventory varies by store. For example if a particular store received an initial inventory of 5 white iPhone 32 GB phones for the Sprint network, and a person was the sixth to pre-order that specific phone on that specific carrier, they are next in line.

How many people are on the preorder list who still don't have the phones?  When will preorders be filled?  

While we don’t share specific numbers, we can confirm that iPhone 4S phones from all carriers were delivered across Best Buy and available stock was distributed to pre-order customers in the order they were placed. It’s important to keep in mind that there are 18 versions of the iPhone 4S based on color, carrier, and memory level. We apologize to those who have experienced any inconvenience and look forward to fulfilling their iPhone 4S pre-order as soon as we can. Additionally, we currently are not taking any more pre-orders or reservations at this time in order to focus on those customers who have already pre-ordered the phone.

Why the delay in telling consumers?  

We are working to keep customers updated regarding their pre-order and are sorry for the wait. Customers who have not received their pre-ordered phones will be notified by their local store via phone and/or email on timing for pick up as soon as inventory becomes available. We apologize to those who have experienced any inconvenience and look forward to fulfilling their iPhone 4S pre-order as soon as we can.

To view the iPhone 4S on BestBuy.com: http://bbyurl.us/iP4Scom

This FAQ and the information it includes is subject to change without notice.

Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, and Multi-Touch are trademarks of Apple Inc. TM & © 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. BEST BUY, the BEST BUY logo, the tag design plus the BEST BUY MOBILE logo are trademarks of Best Buy Enterprise Service, Inc. TM and © 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

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Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile have seen a tremendous amount of customer interest in the iPhone 4S, and are working diligently to fulfill pre-orders as quickly as possible.

Customers who have not received their pre-ordered phones will be notified by their local store via phone and/or email on timing for pick up as soon as inventory becomes available. All pre-orders are being fulfilled with first available inventory, in the order in which they were received.

We apologize to those who have experienced any inconvenience and look forward to fulfilling your iPhone 4S pre-order as soon as we can.