The highly anticipated Apple Vision Pro has finally arrived, but it seems that not everyone will be able to get one as quickly as they hoped. Black marketeers got their hands on it here too. They used bots to pre-order a large number of Vision Pro devices, taking advantage of limited stock and leaving many people with delayed delivery dates.
It should be noted that this problem is not unique to Apple Vision Pro. Schemists are also exploiting the pre-order process for other in-demand Apple products, such as the iPhone 15 series. Here are all the details about the news.
Scalpers bought Apple Vision Pro’s using bots
The Apple Vision Pro launched in the US with a price tag of $3,499, and it didn’t take long for scalpers to take notice. These opportunistic individuals developed bots, known as AIOs, to circumvent Apple’s security measures and pre-order a large number of Vision Pro devices. According to reports, one bot managed to pre-order 1,592 Vision Pro devices, and it is unclear how many different bots were used in total.
The use of these bots caused delivery dates for legitimate customers to be pushed back significantly. This is not the first time scalpers have exploited Apple’s pre-order process. In the past, they have used similar tactics to purchase millions of dollars worth of iPhones and profit from selling them at inflated prices.
Security experts have found that these bots can automatically manage the entire buying process, from determining when new stock is available to placing it in the basket and paying for it. These transactions can take place in a matter of seconds, making it difficult for regular users to compete.
The problem of scalpers exploiting limited stock is not unique to Apple. It has also affected the footwear industry, with limited edition specialty trainers being bought by bots and sold at much higher prices.
The high demand for Apple’s Vision Pro has led to a familiar problem: black marketers using boots to capitalize on limited stock. While this problem is not new, it is frustrating for legitimate customers who have to wait for their devices. Apple has implemented security measures to limit in-store and online sales during the purchase process, but black marketers continue to find ways around these restrictions. As demand for in-demand products continues to outstrip supply, this problem is likely to persist.
Featured image credit: Apple