Apple halts iPhone sales at China stores

BEIJING: Apple said yesterday that it was suspending sales of the new iPhone at its China stores after fans desperate to get their hands on it fought with security and threw eggs at an official outlet.

Police detained at least two people outside the shop here yesterday when angry crowds who had queued for hours in freezing temperatures for the Chinese launch of the iPhone 4S were left furious after being refused entry.

An AFP reporter outside the store in the upmarket Sanlitun district saw frustrated shoppers attack a security guard after police with megaphones shouted at the 1,000-strong crowd to go home and said the gadget would not go on sale.

Apple said its other mainland China stores - another here and three in Shanghai - had sold out of the new device within hours.

"The demand for iPhone 4S has been incredible," said spokesman Carolyn Wu. "Unfortunately we were unable to open our store at Sanlitun due to the large crowd, and to ensure the safety of our customers and employees, iPhones will not be available in our retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai for the time being."

Apple said customers could still order iPhones online and at other authorised retailers. AFP