BEIJING - Apple announced Friday that its iPhone 4S smartphone will not be available in retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai "for the time being."

Apple said its mainland stores have already sold all of their iPhone 4S stock, as demand has been "incredible."

Apple previously announced that the iPhone 4S, the latest version of the company's iconic smartphone, would be released in China and 21 other countries on Jan 13. Large crowds of customers and organized scalpers lined up in front of the company's stores in Beijing the night before.

Apple's flagship store in Beijing's Sanlitun shopping district did not open its doors on Friday morning and canceled initial sales of the phone.

"Unfortunately, we were unable to open our store in Sanlitun due to overcrowding," said the statement.

"Customers can still order the iPhone 4S through the Apple Online Store or purchase it from China Unicom and other authorized retailers," it said.