In a bid to stem the chaos, Huawei is closing its Singapore stores early to deter more people, especially the elderly, from joining the four-hour queues that has seen one woman faint just to buy a mobile phone for S$54.

In a Facebook update, Huawei announced the early closures after it was advised to do so for security reasons, and because they have run out of Huawei Y6 Pro phones.

Huawei wrote:

[11:03AM] We have been advised to close the Tampines Mall outlet (Tampines Mall, 4 Tampines Central 5, #04-03) for security reasons. Please bear with us while we work with the Singapore Police Force to manage the crowd situation.

[12:20PM] The Huawei Concept Stores and Service Centre in the following malls will be closing for the rest of today, for safety and security reasons:

- Tampines Mall (4 Tampines Central 5, #04-03)

- Bugis Junction (200 Victoria Street, #1-54/54A)

- Lot 1 (21 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 #B1-01A)

- Jurong Point (1 Jurong West Central 2, #B1-31)

- 313@Somerset (313 Orchard Road #B2-12)

- Westgate (3 Gateway Dr, #03-38/39)

- Vivo (1 Harbourfront Walk, #02-204)

- NEX (23 Serangoon Central #04-43)

- JEM (50 Jurong Gateway Rd #04-04)

- Northpoint (930 Yishun Avenue 2 #B1-128)

Security concerns

Videos showing hordes of elderly in malls waiting outside Huawei stores and Courts, an electronics goods and furniture store that sold the phone, surfaced early on Friday morning.

Rowdy scenes of agitated elderly people and the police being called in to maintain crowd control showed the extent of consumer tensions running high.

ok so the police managed to control the crowd outside but the uncles are going off on why there was only 90 sets given and people were clapping??? I was like yalls its just a phone pic.twitter.com/iu4G7iFmqk

— Rizzuan A. (@blahfurhsnarg) July 26, 2019

Apologised

Huawei has since apologised to disappointed and angry would-be customers, many of them elderly who were left waiting in the sun.

The Huawei marketing gimmick targeted buyers aged 50 and above.

Original price

The original price of the phone is S$198.

The reduced price is a promotion to coincide with Singapore's 54th birthday.

However, it was reported that many Huawei stores across Singapore were not stocked with enough sets to cope with the demand.

The black market boom has also begun as Huawei Y6 Pro phones are being resold or put up for sale on Carousell, a marketplace for new and used items.

Huawei or no way: