Beijing iPhone 4S Launch Soured By Violent Scalpers and Angry Crowds

[Phillip Swanson]

Who knew the recipe for the Chinese iPhone 4S launch would be one part angry mob, one part eggs, and two parts scalpers.

The iPhone 4S launch in China at Apple’s flagship Beijing store quickly turned from a combination of scalpers and genuine buyers waiting patiently in line to an an angry mob when those waiting in line were notified the store opening would be delayed. The delay, caused by the massive number of scalpers in line, resulted in the crowd chanting to open the store before eventually tossing eggs at the store facade.

The Beijing SWAT team even arrived to break up reported fights between gangs of scalpers. The delay eventually turned into an outright cancellation of the launch at the Beijing Apple Store. Other Chinese stores reported no such violence, and China Unicom officials sent out texts reminding buyers they could order their phones online for home delivery.



It appears the battle to prevent teams of scalpers working together to purchase massive amounts of available stock to create an artificial demand resulted in no phones for anybody at Beijing's flagship Apple Store. Hopefully tomorrow the doors open to a more civil crowd devoid of scalpers.

Source: MacRumors

[celeron]

Lmao, and all this for an iPhone.

[iYeow]

LMAO, another crazy crowd over iphone 4s. I am glad i don't live in China.

[xclusiveiphone]

iPhone will start a new war in China.

[Cer0]

Store was supposed to open by 7. At 715 it was still closed and the chanting started calling them liars and other things.

[thazsar]

Why did they have eggs with them in the first place?!?!

Anybody else wonder this or was it just me!

....I've got my wallet aaaaand...got my eggs; k, I'm good to go...

[celeron]

Its a chinese rule:

Always carry eggs with you in case of energency lol

[thazsar]

Its a chinese rule:

Always carry eggs with you in case of energency lol

You never know when you might need to make an omelet...STAT!

[daytonaviolet]

ohh the drama over a phone

[luvmytj]

Exactly...who happens to have eggs with them at an Apple store opening?

[Cer0]

Why did they have eggs with them in the first place?!?!

Anybody else wonder this or was it just me!

....I've got my wallet aaaaand...got my eggs; k, I'm good to go...

Lol that is funny. I didn't even think about htat. Think I may start brining eggs with me to every opening.

[daytonaviolet]

perhaps after announcing the store will not open as originally stated at 7am, some people who waited for hours... walked to the store and purchased eggs.. threw the eggs to show there disapproval?

[swifty7]

sorry for changing the subject for just a moment but what exactly does the sexy parrot emoticon supposed to convey?

just wondering! thanks!

[celeron]

A parrot moving its head

[Zokunei]

A parrot moving its head

Sexily.

[celeron]

Sexily.

A sexy parrot sexily moving its head. Is that better? Lol

[DQEight]

sorry for changing the subject for just a moment but what exactly does the sexy parrot emoticon supposed to convey?

just wondering! thanks!

You have to actually go on the website to see it as the app dosent display them.

[Zokunei]

A sexy parrot sexily moving its head. Is that better? Lol

[ccc27]

i thought it was some blob doing some dance, not a "sexy parrot sexily moving its head". haha! lol

[greeneyes5066]

Ccc27 needs glasses. I heart sexy parrot and eggs. They just go together. Wish I could have sexy parrot on all my text entries. ;-)