“Over three thousand people gathered outside the Hong Kong Apple store for the launch of the iPhone 4S in Hong Kong, but Apple only allow 1,250 people to line up. A scuffle nearly broke out, and police were called to keep everything under control,” Chris Chang reports for M.I.C. Gadget.
“The launch of the iPhone 4S resulted in a chaotic scene with scalpers and pro queuers purchasing and reselling the phone outside the Apple store,” Chang reports. “A gang of professional queuers from South Asia gathered all the iPhones they have purchased from the Apple store.”
“Resellers were seen sorting and packing boxes of iPhone 4S in a corner outside the Apple store,” Chang reports.
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of pure capitalism, but legitimate Apple customers get screwed when it’s taken to such extremes. Apple should definitely stick to per customer limits on launch days, but there’s not much that Apple can do when the scalpers bring in tens, or even hundreds, of bodies who buy up the maximum number of units.
The mall should at least prevent scalpers from setting up shop in the hallway. Sheesh. Also, Apple should do everything in their power to not let scalpers back in the store to buy another max. number of units. Apple should use “Faces” to weed out the re-queuers: Just before you buy your iPhone(s), you get your picture taken as a condition of the sale. If you’re unique, you get your iPhone(s). If not, hit the road, scalper!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]