SYRACUSE -- The highly talked about iPhone 4S is finally here.

Lines were long Friday morning in Syracuse as eager shoppers waited to get their hands on the new iPhone 4S. Carousel Center mall was busy, as well as the Verizon store on Erie Boulevard. 

The phone in available at Apple Inc. stores as well as AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and some Best Buy, Target and Walmart stores.

The iPhone 4S, available in black and white, costs $199 for the standard phone with 16 gigabytes of storage and a two-year service contact with the carrier. The 32 gigabyte version costs $299 and the 64 gigabyte phone costs $399.

The new and improved iPhone features a faster processor and improved camera with eight megapixels and operating system that allows users to wirelessly sync content across all their Apple products. Most notably, the iPhone 4S features a virtual personal assistant called Siri that provides information to users when they ask for it – such as, “Will it rain today?”

Many Apple enthusiasts are disappointed in the small changes since the iPhone 4 was released over a year ago.

The Associated Press reported that the Fifth Avenue Apple store had a line of about 200 people when the store opened this morning. Among those in line was Apple co-founder, Steve Wonzniak, who already had two phones on the way.

Visitors to the store who checked in on the popular location-based social network Foursquare earned a Steve Jobs badge in honor of the recently passed Apple co-founder. 

Apple said that over 1 million orders for the iPhone 4S came in, breaking last year’s record.

According to the Associated Press, marketing experts sat that the recent death of Steve Jobs could be a cause of the increased sales.

Eric Mower and Associates of Syracuse offers a few tips for making a smooth transition to the iPhone 4S:

-- To be able to transfer your contacts from your current phone to the iPhone, your current account and phone number must be active.

-- Transfers of contacts are faster if you keep them on your current phone rather than using a separate back-up service.

-- If you want to keep old voicemails, follow these instructions to preserve them so they aren’t lost.

-- Pick a service plan that makes sense for you and your family

The New York Times has some tips for picking the best iPhone 4S carrier:

-- Look at the quality of the network – will you be able to browse the web easily?

-- Is browsing the web while talking important to you? This feature is only available with AT&T

-- If cost is key, be sure to compare the different plan options and pricing

-- iPhones can work any where in the world, but if you travel a lot, take note. Some carriers charge international roaming fees.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.