Apple halts China 4S sales after melee at Beijing store

It could happen anywhere, but it would happen in China: an early-morning melee at Apple’s Beijing flagship store forced it to abandon its long-awaited iPhone 4S launch.

The phone will continue to be sold online or through partner China Unicom, but not in the Beijing or Shanghai retail outlets.

Thousands of customers had queued in freezing conditions outside Apple’s gleaming showcase in trendy Sanlitun overnight.

According to local telecom industry site C114, fights broke out around 5am, prompting police to intervene and throw a few punches of their own. Some members of the crowd were reportedly injured.

When staff announced that the 4S would not be sold from the store that day, two disgruntled customers threw eggs at the side of building.

FT.com suggested many of those queuing were employed by scalpers, recalling that when the iPad 2 launched in similar scenes last May scalpers had bought dozens of devices at a time and sold them at a 30% markup.

Sina has posted some photos here and here.