Apple combats Hong Kong scalpers with new iPhone reservations lottery system

“Apple has implemented an interested system to fight those pesky scalpers who spoiled a recent iPhone 4S launch in Mainland China,” Christian Zibreg reports for 9to5Mac.

“A newly set up page on the Hong Kong Apple online store has a lottery system of sorts for iPhone reservations that appears to target scalpers employing bots from snatching up all the iPhones everyday,” Zibreg reports. “Rather than reserve their iPhone on a first-come-first-serve basis, customers are now required to provide full details, including a government-issued photo ID matching the name and ID number.”

Zibreg reports, “In addition, this lottery seems to be valid during a three-hour window each day. Those who ‘won’ a reservation spot will be informed by email before 9 p.m. Interestingly, Apple specifically said it will not be selling iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S to walk-in customers. Previously, the reservation system would open at a random time and it would often fail as bots kept pinging the server all day, meaning reservations would be gone in less than a minute.”

More info and links in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Not to be outdone, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer immediately announced a lottery system for Microsoft retail stores – for Miley Cyrus tickets.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]

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