Apple halts sale of iPhone 4S amid customer anger

BEIJING (AP) _ Apple Inc. postponed sales of its iPhone 4S in its mainland China stores Friday after angry customers and gangs of scalpers threw eggs at the company's flagship Beijing store.

The violence erupted after the store failed to open on schedule at 7 a.m. Hundreds of people waited overnight in freezing weather at the store in the Sanlitun district on Beijing's east side for a chance to buy the high-end smartphone.

Chinese police detain a man after customers scuffled, threw eggs at the glass front of the Apple store in Beijing`s upmarket Sanlitun shopping district on January 13, 2012. (AFP)

The company said it canceled the opening due to safety concerns about the waiting crowd of hundreds of people.

Apple announced the iPhone 4S will not be sold at its mainland China stores for the time being to protect the safety of customers and employees. It said the phone still will be sold online and through its local carrier.