The first of Apple Inc's new iPhones in Hong Kong went on sale amid chaotic scenes early Friday, after hundreds queued for days to buy the handsets. An estimated 2,000 people, some waiting since Tuesday, were gathered outside the city's only Apple Store as it opened at 7 am, hoping to lay hands on the fifth-generation iPhone 4S.
Around 40 police were on guard overnight to control the crowds following days of scuffles, bickering and disruptions to traffic. Some queueing fans had paid hundreds of US dollars for flights from mainland China, where the device has not yet been released.
But many were reportedly being paid up to 2,000 Hong Kong dollars (257 US dollars) by dealers to queue for three days to be among the first to buy the new iPhones. In Hong Kong, the iPhone 4S, which includes an intelligent voice command system called Siri, is priced at 5,088 Hong Kong dollars (654 US dollars).