Apple withdraws sales of iPhone 4s in China following violent scenes at flagship store in Beijing
Apple has cancelled retail sales of its iPhone 4S in China after fighting broke out at its flagship store in Beijing.
The Financial Times reports that the launch of the phone led to shoppers queuing overnight in freezing temperatures at the Sanlitun Store, which led to violent scenes the next morning when they were informed that none of the phones would go on sale.
According to one witness, two men in the queue began to throw eggs and pushed a security guard. By noon around two dozen policemen had been called, with guards cordoning off the Apple store itself.
As a result of the violent response, Apple has chosen not to sell the device within the store, but it can still be ordered online.
This is not the first time that the store has witnessed violent scenes at a product launch, with fights having also broken out at the launch of Apple’s iPad2 last year.