[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_JRZI9o49w]

Apple’s long term carrier parter AT&T has announced that they have processed 200,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 4S, making the new Apple smartphone the most successfully launched iPhone yet. These 200,000 orders only come during the first 12 hours of sales, which started around midnight. Notably, these are just AT&T’s numbers and don’t include Apple’s own online pre-orders or the orders through Apple’s other U.S. carrier partners, Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

The iPhone 4S officially launches on Friday, October 14th and features a substantial internal upgrade from the iPhone 4. This includes the dual-core A5 processor from the iPad 2, a re-designed camera system with an eight megapixel back sensor and an improved optics system, improved battery life, and of course the headlining integration of Siri artificial intelligence technology. This 200,000 pre-order number for AT&T can be compared to 600,000 total pre-orders (on all carriers) on day one of iPhone 4 pre-orders last year.

Update: Sprint has sold out of the 16GB iPhone 4S.