Apple Fights iPhone Scalpers with Lottery System in Hong Kong

Government issued ID required to reserve an iPhone

Jan 31 2012, 2:00pm CST | by Shane McGlaun

Apple Fights iPhone Scalpers with Lottery System in Hong Kong

The launch of the Apple iPhone in China was a debacle. The Apple stores ran out of the iPhones with hordes of people still waiting in line leading to some outraged people that threw eggs at store windows and in some cases abused employees. Another problem for Apple is scalpers that use automated bots to grab up allotments of iPhone reservations at stores and then sell them back to interested customers inflated prices.

Apple has a new plan to fight the scalpers and is now requiring each person that signs up to get the iPhone reservation to present the government ID and a matching name and ID number to reserve online. Presumably, the point of the system is so that if they see one person is observing large quantities of iPhones, Apple can kick that person out of the lottery system.

The lottery system is apparently operating during a three-hour window each day and the people who enter their credentials into lottery system will be notified by e-mail before 9 PM that they have landed a reserved iPhone. This sounds like an interesting system, this way people don't have to wait in line just hoping to get a device only to see supplies run out before they get to the front. I wonder if Apple will implement the system in the US and other countries as well.

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Shane McGlaun
Leading our review center, Shane knows technology inside out. His extensive experience in testing computer hardware and consumer electronics enable him to effectively qualify new products and trends. If you want us review your product, please contact Shane.
Shane can be contacted directly at shane@i4u.com.