Bots vs genuine buyers: Are bots making it harder for you to get the iPhone 15 Pro Max

Wondering why your iPhone 15 hasn't arrived yet? Well, you are not alone. Apple's latest Pro phones, in particular the highly anticipated iPhone 15 Pro Max, are experiencing significant delays in the US, with some customers facing wait times of up to a staggering 49 days. But it looks like the delays aren't just due to overwhelming demand and supply chain hiccups; they also involve the use of bots.

According to recent research from cybersecurity company Kasada(via Apple Insider), scalpers have been employing bots to snag pre-orders of the coveted iPhone 15 Pro Max, making it increasingly challenging for regular consumers to secure their own units and causing shipment delays.

The cybersecurity company that specializes in providing solutions to protect against automated bot attacks says scalpers are automating the process of buying the iPhone 15 Pro Max to cash in on its sky-high demand. “When there’s this much demand, the bots are sure to follow to get their piece of the pie,” the company comments.

The report goes on to say that "most of the population wanting to pre-order is at a severe disadvantage in ordering a new iPhone without the use of a bot." Kasada also shows examples of all-in-one (AIO) bots taking advantage of the situation. One screenshot even shows an AIO bot known for snatching up electronic goodies, with a recommendation to snag the iPhone 15.



Kasada figures scalpers could make around $300 in profit for each iPhone 15 Pro model they get their hands on. And since Apple's return policy is pretty flexible, scalpers see this as a low-risk way to make some money.

The company highlights two cases where AIO bots quickly adapted to exploit Apple's pre-order event. In one case, bots claimed to have checked out almost 2,500 iPhone 15 devices in a single day, potentially raking in $750,000 in profit. Other AIO bots got in on the action too, boasting 3,000 successful checkouts and promising shipments in the first week after launch, potentially netting nearly $1,000,000 for the scalpers behind them.

While these examples cover the entire iPhone 15 lineup, the report notes that some individuals have gone as far as creating their own bots specifically tailored to order the iPhone 15 Pro Max. These bots only add to the challenges faced by genuine customers hoping to get their hands on Apple's latest offerings.