THOUSANDS of Chinese tech fans queued in freezing temperatures on Friday as the new iPhone 4S went on sale, sparking violent scenes when staff at a Beijing Apple store refused to open its doors.

Police detained at least two people after customers scuffled, threw eggs at the glass front of the store in Beijing's upmarket Sanlitun shopping district, and shouted at staff to open the doors so they could buy the new phone.

An AFP reporter at the scene saw frustrated shoppers attack a security guard outside the shop after police with megaphones shouted at the 1,000-strong crowd to go home and said the new iPhone would not go on sale.

"We waited here all night. It's not fair," said 18-year-old Tom Sun. "We're angry because this American company told us it would open its doors at 7:00 a.m."

Another, Li Tianye, had travelled for two days by bus from eastern China's Shandong province to get to Beijing for the launch.

"IPhone 4S is Steve Jobs' best, that's why I want one. I will be really upset if they don't open the doors," said the 29-year-old.

Apple did not immediately return calls for comment on why the retailer, one of only two official stores in Beijing, had not opened. Police declined to comment on the violence.

Some of the 1,000 or so people gathered outside the store from the early hours on Friday told AFP they had been paid 100 yuan (around $15) each by touts to stand in line and wait for the doors to open.

One young Chinese man who refused to give his real name said he planned to buy as many of the phones as he could and resell them at a profit of at least 500 yuan a piece.

"These are not fake iPhones," he said. "People want Steve Jobs' best."

Reselling is a major industry in China, where the new iPhone has been on sale for months at a premium on the black market, after being smuggled in from neighbouring countries and from Hong Kong.   AFP