Apple's iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus now available for preorder

The preorder process seems to be going somewhat smoothly at all outlets, though some customers shopping through Apple had to process their order from the Apple Store app, as the Web portal was offline for about 20 minutes after midnight. Apple.com last year experienced long delays due to server issues. Some AppleInsider readers reported preordering through carrier websites well before 12:01 a.m. Pacific.

Two-year contract pricing starts at $199 for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6s with 16GB of storage, $299 for 64GB and $399 for 128GB. The 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus sells for $299, $399 and $499 for 16GB, 64GB and 128GB of storage, respectively. Contract-free prices start at $649 for the iPhone 6s and $749 for the 6s Plus, with larger capacity models moving up in $100 increments.

It should be noted that the new iPhone Upgrade Program is only available in brick-and-mortar Apple Stores, meaning customers wanting to purchase a handset on launch day must reserve a unit through Apple's website now for pick up and payment on Sept. 25.

Apple is launching iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in 12 countries, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, and the U.S. Last year's iPhone 6 launched in 9 countries, the most notable exception being China. Preorders are slated to arrive on Sept. 25, the same day Apple is expected to have stock at brick-and-mortar Apple Stores.

Finally, first party iPhone 6s accessories, including like-colored charging docks and fitted cases, are showing ship-by times of one to three days.

For buyers interested in trading in old iPhones to put toward a new model, AppleInsider put together a comprehensive guide detailing the best values from the industry's top companies.