Apple’s new products have always commanded a high amount of demand. Nothing’s new for the iPhone 4S. With the amount of demand growing internationally, Apple has recognized that it will have difficulty getting the 4S into consumers hands as soon as they might have wanted.
Here in the U.S., pre-ordering the iPhone 4S was quite simple. However, internationally Apple was forced to push back shipping dates by 1 to 2 weeks. This has likely affected the availability of the phone in the U.S. as well.
Currently, pre-orders through the U.S. Apple store are also subject to a 1 to 2 week wait time as well. It seems as though Apple has already sold through the iPhone 4S’s that will be available launch day, October 14th. If you’re still on the fence, you might want to pre-order now. Who knows, the wait time might become even longer as pre-order numbers continue to increase.